‘Not press workers, but journalism targeted as a whole’

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The Tigris Euphrates Journalists (DFG) Association has released its April 2021 report on violations of journalists' rights in Turkey.

The report has stressed that the violations of rights targeting journalists continued in April as well. According to the report, nine journalists were taken into custody, two journalists faced an investigation, four journalists were prevented from news follow-up, five journalists faced a lawsuit, 60 journalists stood trial in 24 cases, 70 journalists are still arrested and one journalist was subjected to a right violation in prison.

The report has also indicated that the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed five different fines on broadcasters and an access block was imposed on 19 news reports and 17 websites.

'Violations continue'

The DFG report has emphasized that Turkey marked May 3 World Press Freedom Day in an environment deprived of freedoms, noting that the obtained data point at pressures and violations, not freedom.

"It is not possible to talk about press freedom in such a picture," the report has indicated, briefly adding: "Journalists are still faced with means of pressure such as detention, arrest, investigation, lawsuit and prison sentences. With all these, not individual press workers, but journalism as a whole is targeted. The aim is to create a pro-government journalism, rather than a true journalism, and to use this journalism not for the benefit of the society, but for the propaganda of the government."

The Association has also raised concerns about the circular of the Directorate General of Security, which bans journalists and citizens from audio and video recording at public events and incidents.

Questioning the relation between duty at a demonstration and private life, the report has referred to the killing of Kemal Kurkut during the Diyarbakır Newroz in 2017, saying, "We would like to remind you that the recorded voices and images helped several incidents come to light."

'Circular must be withdrawn'

The report has noted, "If it had been forbidden to take pictures during the Diyarbakır Newroz in 2017, the entire public would know Kemal Kurkut as a suicide bomber. However, the pictures showed that 22-year-old Kemal did not have even his clothes on him, let alone a bomb.

"Even this example shows how the execution of this circular might further restrict freedom of press. In that sense, this circular must be withdrawn and the bans on press works must be abandoned."

Underlining that "journalists are the eyes and ears of the people," the report of the association has stressed that "with every news report, it is ensured that society sees and hears what has been happening."

At this point, the report has reminded the public that while nine access blocks were imposed on the websites of JinNews in April, five access blocks were imposed on the websites of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) in a month: "However, it needs to be known that when the press cannot work freely, society is plunged into darkness and rights and freedoms disappear in that darkness." (HA/SD)