Tax Investigation to Pressure TV Station

Comtemporary Journalists Association criticized the tax investigation towards Kanalturk founders and programmers as hostile and politically motivated. Government is trying to silence media thats not in par with its policies, CGD chair Akabay said.

Erol Önderoğlu

Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) criticized the Ministry of Finance tax investigation towards Kanalturk TV founders and some programmers as hostile.

Saying the investigation is politically motivated, CGD chair Ahmet Akabay claimed that the investigation is aimed at silencing the station, which opposes government policies.

Given the coming general elections in November, government is trying to pressure and weaken media that it can't control, he said.

Ministry of Finance, Revenue Administration Department Coordinator Metin Ölçek has demanded from banks the account information of several people and the mother corporation of the TV station with an official text on February 8.

Kanalturk station owner Yaşam Tv and Broadcasting Inc., journalists and programmers Tuncay Ozkan, Cüneyt Arcayürek and Mine G. Kırıkkanat are among the people to be subjected to the investigation.

Ölçek demanded the amounts and destinations of money transfers regarding accounts held by those in question.

The station made an announcement, deeming the investigation as "unlawful, politically motivated and unrelated to public benefit".

On another account, the Radio and Television Supreme Court (RTUK) sanction given to Kanalturk with regard to a news piece about a corruption in Is Bank has been put to place on February 16.

Following the bank's complaint RTUK decided for a one-day replacement of the 20 o'clock news with another programme.(EÖ/EÜ)

Origin

BÄ°A News Center

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

all articles of the author

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.