NTV Wins against RTÜK

A penalty by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed to the Turkish news channel NTV was stalled by an administrative court. The penalty stemmed from the program "Live Main News" ('Canlı ana haber'). For now, the program is not being removed from broadcasting.

NTV announced on 8 February that the Ankara 5th Administrative Court stalled the procedure implemented by RTÜK. "The fine to suspend the broadcast was temporarily stalled by the court. The 'Live Main News' program was put back on the broadcasting stream instead of the RTÜK documentary", NTV informed their viewers.

NTV would have to broadcast the documentary "The bright world of mathematics" instead of the news program if RTÜK succeeded with an objection.

State Council referred to "press freedom"

At the same time, NTV won a case regarding a warning fine issued on the grounds of broadcasting a statement of Erato Kozaku-Marcoullis, Foreign Minister of the Cypriot Government. The State Council referred to press freedom and the right of the people to be informed and annulled the RTÜK penalty.

NTV broadcasted a speech of Kozaku-Marcoullis who called Turkey the "occupant" of Cyprus and depicted Turkey as a "threatening state that does not abide by international agreements" as quoted in a live broadcast by Nicosia representative Selim Sayar.

Thereupon, the news channel received a warning because the broadcast allegedly "exceeded the limits of the concept of public service and was not conform to the general principles of the Constitutions, fundamental rights and freedoms, the national security and general ethics".

Marcoullis had said, "Additionally, we could not find any incentive in General Büyükanıt's latest statements. These announcements throw Turkey back a couple of centuries. I know you don't like what I say but that is the way we feel. The Turkish Army stops a member state of the European Union from obtaining the citizens' human rights. This is the role of the Turkish Army on the island..." (EÖ/EÜ/VK)