Prevented from covering May Day, journalist files complaint against police

* Photo: TGS

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Prevented by police from doing her job on the 1st of May due to the circular of the Directorate General of Security banning journalists and citizens from audio and video recording at demonstrations, Yol TV reporter Özge Uyanık has appealed to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office together with the Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS) and filed a complaint.

In her petition of criminal complaint, the journalist accused Director General of Security Mehmet Aktaş of "giving unlawful orders" due to the circular and the police officers who prevented her from filming the incident of "threat", damaging property" and "misconduct in office."

'Ensure that journalists work freely'

TGS Ankara Branch executive Alican Uludağ, TGS lawyer Meliha Selvi, journalist Özge Uyanık, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ankara MP Gamze Taşcıer and journalist Rahmi Yıldırım made a press statement in front of the Ankara Courthouse before the complaint.

Addressing the reporters there, Uludağ said that there is a systematic attack on journalists in Turkey. Underlining that journalists have been made unable to practice their profession, Uludağ stated:

"What happened to our friend Özge was the last example of this. The unlawful circular of the Directorate General of Security was - of course - effective there. We will keep on with our legal struggle so that the physical interference with journalists will come to an end.

"Turkey is a democratic state of law and press freedom underpins it. We request that this circular be withdrawn and that journalists be ensured to practice their profession freely."

Yol TV reporter Özge Uyanık also said, "Wherever we see something unlawful, an inhuman intervention or a right violation, we will keep on filming it. We are doing our job. We do not want to be prevented by any public official while fulfilling our duty in the public sphere."

In her speech in front of the courthouse, TGS lawyer Meliha Selvi emphasized that the circular is against the Constitution, adding that it will undoubtedly be annulled by the Council of State. She noted that the circular hinders freedom of press and leads to censorship.

Underlining that the duty of the police is not to stand against citizens and the press, she added, "Their duty is to maintain their security and press freedom. The circular is null and void in that it leads to unjust intervention by the police officers and causes them to be in a difficult position."

What happened?

In a circular dated April 27, Director General of Security Mehmet Aktaş banned audio and video recording during social and judicial incidents.

With this circular, the police have been instructed to prevent the people who capture the images or voices of police officers during demonstrations and to take legal action against the related people.

The circular has argued that posting the recorded voices and images of police and civilians "violates the privacy of private life", adding that capturing voices and images prevents the fulfillment of duty as well.

After the circular was issued, Yol TV reporter Özge Uyanık was subjected to the physical attack of the police while she was trying to cover the protests in the capital city of Ankara on the 1st of May, 2021.

The police tried to hinder her, saying, "You will not film this." Uyanık responded, "Based on what?" The officer answered, "The circular was issued just yesterday." Though Uyanık showed her press card, the police threw her phone on the ground and tried to delete the video. (HA/SD)