In a press release on the occasion of the Day for Murdered Journalists, Turkish Journalists' Society (TGC) President Orhan Erinç said that the negative approach towards journalists left the doubts about democracy as pressing as ever. The press release was made at the Divanoğlu Sultan Mahmut Mausoleum, where murdered Serbesiti newspaper editor Hasan Fehmi Bey was laid to rest in 1909.
Erinç drew attention to the fact that from the killing of journalist Hasan Fehmi on 6 April 1909 till the latest murder of journalist Cihan Hayırsevener in Bandırma (southern coast of the Sea of Marmara) on 18 December 2009 a total of 62 journalists were killed in Turkey within the past 100 years.
"At least 20 colleagues are under protection"
Erinç emphasized the steep increase of journalist murders after the killing of Milliyet newspaper Publishing Director Abdi İpekçi on 1 February 1979. He was the 15th journalist to be killed since 1909. "Many of our colleagues were shot in the years of 1993, 1994 and 1995. This is the result of the current approach of being shown as targets by the ones who feel disturbed by the writings and criticism of journalists".
"At least 20 of our colleagues are living under the protection provided by the state or the publishing organizations they are working for. Unfortunately, we cannot see the possibility for positive steps to be taken for security at work and solutions regarding identity and individual problems".
"It seems that freedom of expression in Turkey is doomed to remain in hollow words along with the people's right to information and the journalists' safety of life and work. We hope that from now on we will see a new era which provides safer conditions for journalists so that they will be able to do their work; an era that brings on the way solutions for identity and individual problems".
Criticism of Nazlı Ilıcak's conviction
Dr. Meral Dinçer and Pınar Dumlupınar received awards for their studies "Murdered Journalists in Turkey" and "Darkness Targets Intellectuals", respectively. They won the TGC contest on "Studies on the Remembrance of Murdered Journalists". The price giving ceremony took place at the Gallery for Murdered Journalists in the Press Museum. Additionally, the jury lauded Bülent Taylan's study Blood Censorship.
Erinç appreciated the efforts of the laureates and criticized the latest decisions of cases against journalists which resulted in "probation" and "postponing the pronouncement of the judgement". He also reminded to the recent conviction of Nazlı Ilıcak, previous member of the TGC steering board.
"Turkish journalists are doing their profession under probation in a country said to be very democratic nowadays. We as the TGC are careful not to make any assessment before a court decision has not been finalized. In our opinion, fair prosecution has been harmed in terms of freedom of expression and journalism.
"The government inhibits the continuation of trials by postponing the pronouncement of judgement, because you do not have the right to apply to the court of appeals unless the judgement has been pronounced". (EÖ/VK)
