EFJ and RSF Condemn Army Report on Media

Both press freedom organizations called on the Turkish army to stop using such a classification system and allow equal access to all media outlets. An internal Turkish army report was disclosed recently which classified media as pro-military or else.

Erol Önderoğlu

Following reaction from Turkey's journalists associations, international organizations criticized the recently disclosed of Turkey's army accreditation list which classifies media outlets and journalists as pro-army or vice versa.

The International Federation of Journalist and its regional group the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) called on the Turkish military to stop classifying journalists by their perceived attitude toward the military and using that classification to grant or deny press accreditations.

"We are calling on the Turkish military to immediately stop using this classification system and grant equal access to journalists who wish to cover its activities, regardless of whether they are critical of the military or not," said EFJ chair Arne König. "It is unethical for them to deny media access to information at their discretion and a blow to press freedom."

On another account, press freedom organization Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) said "We condemn this use of black-lists and these attempts to neutralise journalists by depriving them of their raw material, information" in relation to the incident.

RSF said it supported the protests voiced by the Turkish Association of Journalists (TGC), the Contemporary Association of Journalists (ÇGD), the Union of Journalists of Turkey (TGS) and the Press Council (Basın Konseyi) against the methods of the army high command and the prime minister's office.

Military assessment of media

The report, titled "A reassessment of accredited press and media organs" and dated November 2006, makes recommendations on whether the media accreditation for certain people should be granted, denied or revoked.

It was prepared by the media relations office that gives accreditation to journalists and media organizations that want to follow the activities of the Office of the Chief of General Staff.

The military has not denied the document's existence but has only launched a judicial probe to discover who leaked the information to the press.(EÖ/EÜ)

Origin

BÄ°A News Center

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.