"Journalism cannot be put on trial"

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Progressive Journalists Association (ÇGD) has released its 42nd monthly Media Monitoring Report, in which it has recorded the practices that hinder the work of journalists such as censorship, threats-violence, detention-trial, loss of personal rights and manipulations in news.

The ÇGD has presented the report to the public in a press statement titled "You think you break us, we come back stronger!"

"Ongoing practices of pressure and intimidation against journalists continued in October. In recent months, access bans to certain news have been increased," reads the press release of the Association, briefly sharing the following observations with the public:

Fines, trials, violence

"Authorized institutions, especially the courts, did not hesitate to take these decisions ignoring the freedom of the press.

"Within the scope of our findings, access bans were imposed on 19 news pieces published in 37 media outlets.

"RTÜK has been acting as one of the important authorities in these obstacles as the media watchdog issued an investigation on FOX TV's news program, 'Alarm Clock with İsmail Küçükkaya' because Küçükkaya hosted former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş's wife Başak Demirtaş in his show. RTÜK also issued penalties to television channels Halk TV and Tele1.

"Last month, 30 journalists appeared in court in 20 cases. While the vast majority of these cases were postponed, a journalist was sentenced to 11 months and 20 days in prison. Journalists were subjected to physical violence during news coverage and received death threats.

"One of the threats occurred during the 10 October Ankara Station Massacre commemoration. ANKA News Agency reporter Tamer Arda Erşin was insulted and threatened to be killed by a police officer whose job was to take security measures during the commemoration.

On the occasion of this latest incident that happened to our colleague, we felt obliged to emphasize what journalists are experiencing especially while following social events. Journalists are battered or threatened by members of the police in all of the social events in Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey, without exception.

"It is also a fact that there has been an increase in the violence and threats of the security forces after the decision signed by Mehmet Aktaş, the General Director of Security, which prevents the recording of sounds and images during social events. We observe that these intimidation practices are implemented especially against members of certain media outlets and this issue strengthens our impression that security forces take special initiative to prevent press members from practicing their profession.

"What we say to the 'security forces' who prevent us from doing our job by intimidation is that 'you think you break us, but we came back stronger!'

'We will continue to record every mistake'

"In the notes reflected in our report in October, one of the details that should be underlined compared to previous months was the developments in the 'Manipulations' section.

"The difference between the pro-government news agencies and opposition news agencies in their understanding of journalism has become more profound in recent days. Almost all events have been covered as an effort to justify government actions by pro-government newspapers.

"This editorial outlook does not hesitate to target social peace as it gives irreparable damage to journalism. Those who trample the professional principles of journalism under their feet every day with their publications should not forget that the past will not be forgotten; we will continue to record every mistake they made and we will confront them tomorrow."

CLICK - BIA Media Monitoring Reports

CLICK - bianet Media Monitoring Database

(HA/SD)

Click here for the full report (in Turkish)