Press Advertisement Institution Ends Public Ad Ban on Daily BirGün

* Photo: IPI

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The International Press Institute (IPI) has announced that the Press Advertisement Institution (BİK) has ended the public ad ban on daily BirGün. The Institute has also made a call on the press advertisement authority to lift the ad ban on Evrensel newspaper urgently.

A delegation of representatives from the IPI, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) met BİK Director General Rıdvan Duran on February 6, 2020.

The delegation expressed their demands for the lifting of public ad bans on several newspapers, including Evrensel, BirGün and Cumhuriyet.

Sharing a message on its Twitter account, the IPI has announced the lifting of public ad ban on daily BirGün in following words:

"Great news as Turkey's state ad agency, Press Advertisement Institution, ends 6-month ban on BirGün newspaper, yet IPI demands urgent lifting of public ad ban on Evrensel. Ban must end without delay or face permanent exclusion to threaten survival of the newspaper."

Great news as #Turkey's state ad agency @basinilankurumu ends 6-month ban on @BirGun_Gazetesi yet IPI demands urgent lifting of public ad ban on @evrenselgzt.

Ban must end w/out delay or face permanent exclusion to threaten survival of the newspaper.#FreeTurkeyJournalists pic.twitter.com/yPb5dH7yga

— IPI (@globalfreemedia) February 25, 2020

Polat: I would like to say it will hopefully be our turn

Journalist Fatih Polat, the Editor-in-Chief of Evrensel newspaper, has commented on IPI's message briefly as follows:

"I would like to say that it will hopefully be our turn. But - with this decision - the BİK can be insistent on its cancellation of ad rights, as if to say 'Look, we do not have any special intentions against anyone. Their attitude shows that. Because Evrensel does not have any shortcomings. I hope that I will be mistaken." (HA/SD)