RSF Condemns Punishment of HaberTürk

Reporters without Boarders condemned the punishment imposed on Haber Türk by the Radio and TV Supreme Council as "censorship pure and simple". RSF claimed that writer Nişanyan fulfilled his duty as a journalist and called on the council to withdraw the punishment.

Erol Önderoğlu

The international organization Reporters without Borders (RSF) condemned the suspension of the Haber Türk program "One to one" as a punishment imposed by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) based on the statements of writer and linguist Sevan Nişanyan.

RTÜK had decided for the suspension of one issue of the program because Nişanyan referred to the incidents in 1915as "genocide". In a written statement issued by RSF on Tuesday (29 June), the organization assessed the punishment as "censorship pure and simple".

RSF: Disproportionate punishment

RTÜK took the decision on 15 June and notified Haber Türk on 21 June. The Council indicated that Nişanyan, one of several guests in the program, "exceeded the limits of criticism" with his statements that allegedly "humiliated the Republic of Turkey".

RSF called on RTÜK to rescind the "disproportional" decision. "Free expression must prevail even when there are opposing opinions on sensitive issues. It is part of the duties of journalists to organise debates in which different views are aired", the organization declared.

The punishment by RTÜK is based on article 4 of Law no. 3984 which forbids broadcasters to "exceed the limits of criticism and insult an institution." According to Reporters without Borders, "the article's wording is extremely vague and gives officials too much leeway for subjective - usually ultraconservative - interpretation that prevents Turkish society from tackling vital issues". (EÖ/VK)

Origin

BIA News Center

RSF Sevan Nişanyan haber türk

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.