Council of State Requests Defense from Presidency in Press Card Regulation Case

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The Council of State has requested defense from the Presidency Directorate of Communications in the lawsuit filed by the Contemporary Journalists' Association (ÇGD), which requested that some articles of the Press Card Regulation be annulled and their execution be suspended on the ground that they conflict with the Constitution and the related laws.

After the regulation entered into force on December 14, 2018, the ÇGD appealed to the Council of State on February 12, 2019 on the ground that some of its articles conflict with the Constitution and the related laws.

Accordingly, four months later, the Council of State has requested that the Presidency Directorate of Communications prepare a statement of defense regarding the Press Card Regulation.

'Press cards will be used as a means of pressure'

Releasing a written statement about the issue, the ÇGD has reiterated that they requested the annulment of the Articles 6, 14, 15, 25, 29 and 30 of the Press Law Regulation as they conflict with the Constitution and the laws.

Underlining that the Press Card Regulation which is currently in effect will pave the way for arbitrary attitudes of the administration as well as for the use of press cards as a means of pressure on journalists, the Association has also indicated that the Regulation provides the administration with powers conflicting with the laws and overstepping their boundaries.

'682 press cards cancelled in the first 4 months of 2019'

In its statement, the ÇGD has underlined that the press cards of 2 thousand 397 journalists have been cancelled in the last three years. In the first four months of 2019, this number is 682, the Association has further indicated.

According to the statement of the ÇGD, since the press card commission, which is supposed to convene for at least three times a year, has not convened for over a year now, the journalists who have qualified to receive their press cards have been kept waiting for a signature. As of March 21, the number of these journalists was 997.

"Journalists are faced with a bureaucratic structure that does not give them the cards they deserve, but asks them to present the cards anyway," the ÇGD has commented on the issue.

Concluding its remarks by saying "Press card regulation should be annulled", the ÇGD has underlined that press card is not an indication of journalism in Turkey, emphasizing that the commission authorized to give press cards should consist of representatives from professional press organizations.

Prime Ministry was authorized to give press cards

It was previously the Prime Ministry which was authorized to give yellow press cards to journalists. However, as per the Statutory Decree no. 703 issued on July 10, 2018, The duties and authorities of the Directorate General of Press and Information, which was affiliated with the Prime Ministry and authorized to issue yellow press cards, have been handed over to the Presidency Directorate of Communications. (HA/SD)