Even news on access blocks to news faced access blocks in Turkey in September

"Press freedom is the guarantee of democracy"

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While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is preparing to submit a new motion to the Parliament to seek further restrictions on not only social media, but on newspapers, TV channels and news websites as well, the monthly "Press Freedom" report released by main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Eskişehir MP Utku Çakırözer has been marked by access blocks imposed on news in September 2021.

According to the report, the news about allegations of corruption and irregularities involving government officials faced the highest number of access blocks to such an extent that news reports which announced access blocks to news were themselves faced with access blocks.

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Çakırözer has noted that after the judicial year began on September 1, 2021, at least 45 journalists stood before the judge, eight journalists were prevented from news follow-up and Halk TV, TELE 1, BirGün, Cumhuriyet and Sözcü faced administrative fines and public ad cuts.

The MP has defined it as the "government's biggest shame" that "it can propose laws that will further restrict the press and social media while there are all those cases of censorship, bans, pressure and blocks." He has underlined that "what Turkey needs is not new bans; on the contrary, it needs removing the obstacles to people's Constitutional rights and freedoms."

Highlights from the report

Some details from Çakırözer's report on violations of freedom of expression and press in Turkey in September are as follows:

"In September 2021, at least 45 journalists appeared before the judge; six journalists were sentenced to prison.

"The obstacles to the journalists during news follow-up were in place in September as well. While three journalists were attacked, eight journalists were prevented from news follow-up.

"Journalist Celal Eren Çelik announced that he was punched in a cafe. Aydınpost newspaper's Editor-in-Chief Erman Çetin and camera operator were attacked by the shopkeepers of the bazaar while they were doing street interviews with citizens in a Saturday bazaar in Didim.

"FOX News reporter Barış Kaya was not allowed in the press conference of AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik.

"The journalists covering the press statement about the prevention of the 'September 1 World Peace Rally' in İstanbul's Bakırköy were surrounded by the police and prevented from reporting news.

"The Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters who wanted to cover the press statement in Diyarbakır's Ofis faced police intervention.

"Jin News newspaper's Grant Holder İdris Yayla announced that he was called by an unidentified person and threatened with death.

"The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) and Press Advertisement Institution (BİK) poured fines on TVs and newspapers in September as well. While administrative fines and sanctions were imposed on 3 channels, the public ads of 3 newspapers were cut for 100 days.

"The public ad cuts agreed in the BİK executive board meeting in 2019 were imposed in September. While the public ads of BirGün were cut for 22 days this month, 35 of the 74 days of public ad cuts in total imposed on Cumhuriyet newspaper were executed in September. The remaining 39 days will also be put into effect after the related court ruling becomes final.

"The access blocks and requests for removal of content on news websites and news content continued in September without slowing down.

"The news reports about access blocks were faced with access blocks themselves one after the other. The most striking case was that the news reports regarding the access blocks imposed on the tenders won by a friend of the President's son Bilal Erdoğan were also blocked by 4 decisions.

"While two access blocks were imposed on the website of JinNews news agency, the website of MA was also blocked to access." (HA/SD)