Journalists protest 'disinformation bill': 'Greatest censorship in Turkey's history'

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Journalists yesterday (June 21) protested the law proposal known as the "disinformation bill," which includes new arrangements about social media and online news reporting.

Members of 10 several journalism groups attended the demonstration organized by the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) Press Union in Şişhane in İstanbul's Beyoğlu district.

They opened a banner that read, "No to the law of silencing, intimidation and incarceration! The press is free, it cannot be censored."

The bill that passed the parliament's Justice Committee last week introduces prison sentences of up to three years for spreading disinformation. It also expands the authority of the Presidency Communications Directorate on news outlets.

CLICK - Why do journalists oppose disinformation bill?

"We will continue to embrace press freedom"

Özge Yurttaş, the head of the DİSK Press Union, said they will continue to protest against the law in İstanbul and Ankara.

Saying that the bill targets all media outlets but pro-government ones, she described the bill as "the darkest in the history of the Republic."

"Free press is a must for a free country. Organized press and organized society is a must for free press," he said. "A law proposal that will put anyone on trial is on the agenda. This law is to suppress journalism completely and to silence not only the dissidents of the government but also everyone who does not support the government. We will continue to embrace freedom of the press and expression."

Arrest of 16 journalists

Gökhan Durmuş, the head of the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS), mentioned the arrest of 16 Kurdish journalists in Diyarbakır. He noted that cameras and news content were cited as evidence for their arrest.

"Journalism began to be de facto prevented. We want this bill to be withdrawn completely. They didn't take into account our recommendations," he said.

"Government spreads disinformation"

Uğur Güç, who spoke in the name of the Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD),  also said, "They have already started incarcerating journalists," referring to the arrests in Diyarbakır.

"This law is the heaviest censorship in the history of the press. It cannot be explained in another way. The government itself spreads disinformation.

"They will send us to jail if we say the inflation is 150 percent. They will send us to jail as well if we say gasoline prices have increased. We are not afraid of the prison. We are already arrested and put on trial. But we continue to write the truth." (HA/VK)