Journalism organizations: End impunity, ensure our life safety

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Journalism organizations have released a statement regarding the murder of Güngör Arslan, the owner and managing editor of Kocaeli Ses local newspaper, and raised concerns about the recently escalating attacks on journalists as well as the impunity for such attacks in Turkey.

Released by the Press Council, Journalists' Association, Progresive Journalists' Association (ÇGD), Economy Reporters Association, Haber-Sen union, İzmir Journalists' Association, Parliamentary Correspondents' Association, News Camera Operators' Association of Turkey, Photojournalists Association of Turkey and Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS), the joint statement has reminded the public that radio presenter Hazım Özsu was killed in Bursa last year and the local Mersin Haberci newspaper's office was attacked with paint and eggs last week after it reported on an alleged corruption at the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality.

Stressing that the government must draft an urgent action plan against these attacks that may culminate in the killing of journalists, the organizations have said, "The ones who have no efforts other than reporting and journalistic concerns, from the local to the national, must be protected."

The organizations have emphasized that the impunity for the attacks targeting journalists brings about new attacks and murders. 

Expressing their requests for solving the murders and attacks, including the forces behind these acts, they have demanded that the responsible parties be penalized in the severest way possible.

'If journalists stay silent, society stays silent'

Further in their statement, the professional press organizations have said that "in conveying the incidents and the truth to readers in an objective manner, journalism prioritizes public interests." They have stressed that "the profession of journalism, which puts people's right to information and public interests before their own lives, must be protected and the attacks on journalism must be penalized in the severest way possible."

Accordingly, they have requested that the perpetrators and instigators of Güngör Arslan murder be identified, the impunity for the attacks on journalists be ended and the life safety of journalists be ensured: "We, the professional press organizations, will not let the society's air vessels be cut. If journalism stays silent, society stays silent". (HA/SD)