Will Someone Explain Freedom of Expression to Erdogan?

Prime Minister Erdogan has lost his case against journalist Ilhan Selcuk.

Erol Önderoğlu

In an article entitled "Reactionary Attitudes Have No Language" published in the "Cumhuriyet" newspaper on 6 May 2007, journalist Ilhan Selcuk had written:

"While America was occupying Iraq, what was it planning for Turkey? They said of the 'Moderate Islam State Model': The 'Moderate Islam Model' venture did not suit Turkey and damaged America. The worst thing was how the reactionary gang who spoke in the name of the Supreme Allah, the Holy Prophet and the Holy Qu'ran became wild when they had come to power."

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's lawyers had filed a complaint against the journalist, as Erdogan had interpreted these sentences as "an attack on personal rights, insulting and ridiculing, unfair and illegal."He had asked for 20,000 YTL in compensation.

Case dropped

In the hearing on 25 September, judge Ahmet Metin Tözün of the Ankara 21st Civil Court of First Instance dropped the case.

This is not the first case that Erdogan has initiated against the media. He has previously sued the Cumhuriyet and Günlük Evrensel newspapers, as well as the Penguen and Leman comic papers, claiming that his "personal rights were violated". (EÖ/NZ/AG)

Origin

Bıa news centre

freedom of expression Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

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.