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Granted by the Journalists' Association of Turkey (TGC) every year since 1989, this year's 'Press Freedom of Awards' have been granted to Tolga Şardan and Bülent Kılıç in the category of people and to the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and the Democratic Resistance Constituencies of Boğaziçi University in the category of institutions.
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Tolga Şardan, a columnist for T24, has been granted the award "due to his efforts to convey news to readers in the field of courthouse reporting despite the government's intention to impose a blackout."
Agence France-Presse (AFP) photojournalist Bülent Kılıç has been granted the award "in the name of reporters, photojournalists and camera operators who continue fulfilling their duty as journalists amid all types of hardships, despite the violation of their life safety, all preventions."
It has recently caused a public outcry that Bülent Kılıç was subjected to police violence and taken into custody by being forced to lie on the ground and with his neck pressed by the police while he was covering the 19th İstanbul Pride March in Taksim, Beyoğlu on June 26.
In the category of institutions, the TTB and the Democratic Resistance Constituencies of Boğaziçi University have been given the 'Press Freedom Awards' on the grounds of "their struggle to defend people's rights to get news and information, learn the truth, exercise freedom of expression, academic autonomy and right to education."
While the TTB has long been calling on the Health Ministry to share the COVID-19 data transparently, among other warnings, and releasing its own reports in this context, the constituencies of Boğaziçi University have been protesting the appointment of Melih Bulu as the rector of their university by President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by a Presidential decision on January 2, 2021.
The Jury of the 2021 Press Freedom Awards convened at the TGC on July 5. This year, the members of the jury were: Adnan Özyalçıner (Chair of Writers Union of Turkey), Altan Öymen (A senior TGC member - TGC Honorary Board Chair - Writer), Kenan Kocatürk (Turkish Publishers Association Chair), Nazan Moroğlu (Vice Chair of the İstanbul Bar Association), Prof. Nurçay Türkoğlu (Professor of Communication), Sibel Güneş (TGC Secretary General), Tuğrul Eryılmaz- (T24 Columnist - On behalf of previous laureates), Turgay Olcayto (TGC Chair) and Zeynep Oral (Chair of PEN Turkey Center). Altan Öymen was this year's Jury President.
The awards are granted every year on July 24 Day of Struggle for Press Freedom. This year, the date of the award-giving ceremony will be announced at a later date as July 24 concurs with Eid al-Adha. (HA/SD)
