A picture of freedom of expression in Turkey in 2020

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

The Initiative for Freedom of Expression (Düşünce Suçu(!?)na Karşı Girişim) has released a report titled "Freedom to Thought" and offered a snapshot of the state of freedom of expression in Turkey in 2020.

The report of the initiative has consisted of a series of chapters, including the following: "A farewell to law", "Turning the outbreak into an opportunity", "Press freedom", "Insulting the state here and there", "The excuse of terror", "The unused right of assembly and demonstration","The freedom of (un)organization", "Banned Internet" and "And more".

In his article penned for the report, Mustafa Kumral has described the state of rights and freedoms in Turkey as a "intensive care patient."

'Unlawfulness has evolved'

The "Farewell to law" chapter of the report has noted that, throughout 2020, President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan refused to enforce the separation of powers as well as the court verdicts that were not to his liking.

"Erdoğan kept on refusing to recognize or comply with the laws and Constitutional provisions. This unlawfulness has now evolved into a failure to recognize or comply with the international conventions that the country has signed," the report of the initiative has underlined.

384 people detained in 3.5 months

In its chapter of "Turning the outbreak into an opportunity", the report has noted that after the first novel coronavirus (COVID-19) case was diagnosed in Turkey in March 2020, the bans and restrictions imposed by the decisions of the Presidency were shaped by the interests of the government, rather than being about the pandemic.

Referring to the data shared by the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the report has said: "In a period of three and a half months, 384 people, including rights defenders, journalists, politicians and healthcare workers, were taken into custody; 93 of them were arrested.

"84 people were subjected to torture and maltreatment. 93 summaries of proceedings were issued against the members of the parliament in this period; 84 of them were against the HDP MPs. 

"3 lawmakers were stripped of their MP status. Trustees were appointed to 14 HDP municipalities, municipal council members of 4 municipalities were dismissed, co-mayors were arrested based on groundless allegations."

'Erdoğan still complains about the media'

The largest chapter of the report has been allocated to "Freedom of expression". The 14-page chapter of the report has indicated that "in 2020 as well, journalists were targeted due to their thoughts and news; they were dismissed, detained and arrested." It has added that 2020 "was never short of investigations, lawsuits or publication bans."

The report of the initiative has also raised concerns that the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), Press Advertising Agency (BİK) and Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) have been functioning as new tools of censorship by the government, underlining that access blocks were imposed on thousands of online news in 2020.

Referring to the President and AKP Chair, the report has said, "In Turkey, where 95 percent of the media sector is controlled by the government, Erdoğan is still complaining that 'the media is not reflecting his voice'.

Listing all violations of rights faced by journalists and press workers, the report has specifically referred to the data shared by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) a as well as to bianet's quarterly and annual Media Monitoring Reports.

13 thousand prosecuted, 8 thousand penalized

The report has specifically focused on the people who faced investigation, prosecution and conviction on charge of "insulting the President" as per the Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and on charge of "degrading the nation, state of the Republic of Turkey, the organs and institutions of the state" as per the Article 301 of the TCK.

According to the report of the initiative, in 2018, when Turkey adopted the Presidential Government System, the number of people facing lawsuits on these charges was 6 thousand 326. This number then increased to 13 thousand 990 by the end of 2019. "The number of lawsuits has increased by 21 folds in 10 years," the report has noted.

Referring to the 2019 Legal Year data announced by the Justice Ministry, the report has further indicated that 36 thousand 66 people faced an investigation on charge of "insulting the President".

One out of five due to 'terror'

The report has noted that one out of every five people (48 thousand 924) currently behind bars are either standing trial or convicted of terror crimes.

Referring, once again, to the Justice Ministry data, the report of the initiative has said, "39 thousand 833 citizens became 'terror' suspects and 12 thousand 417 citizens 'terror' defendants in a year."

The report has also raised concerns that when political parties, trade unions, professional organizations, healthcare professionals, workers and women wanted to use their freedom of assembly and demonstration, they were faced by bans and the violence of law enforcement officers.

According to the report, while over 120 bans on events and demonstrations were issued in 35 provinces in 2020, the ban on demonstrations in Van has been in effect for the past 4 years. (HA/SD)

* Click here for the full report (in Turkish)