Press Cards of 3,804 Journalists Canceled in Five Years

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Vice President Fuat Oktay has responded to a parliamentary question by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Fethi Gürer.

He said that press cards of 3,804 journalists have been canceled upon Article 29 of the Regulation on Press Cards. 863 cards were canceled in 2015, 927 in 2016, 590 in 2017, 709 in 2018 and 715 in the first nine months of 2019, according to Oktay's statement.

12,735 journalists have a press card as of October 3, Oktay informed. This number was 15,485 in November 2018, Oktay announced at the time.

Presidency Directorate of Communication was authorized to issue press cards in July 2018, after the Prime Ministry Directorate General of Press and Information was shut down as part of the transition to the presidential system.

Some reasons for the cancellations are leaving the job, changing job titles, cards being worn out or lost, Oktay said.

MP Gürer also asked if the Directorate of Communication has an "embargo list" for press cards, citing reports, in the parliamentary question submitted on August 28. In response, Oktay said that the directorate has no such list.

Speaking to reporters after Oktay's response, Gürer said the press "should be independent and free in a democracy," recalling that the press card regulation has been changed for 14 times since 1947. (HA/VK)