The head of the International Press Institute (IPI)’s Turkish National Committee yesterday told those gathered outside an Istanbul courthouse where proceedings began against 44 journalists accused of supporting terrorism that “In this legal case, journalism is on trial”.
Milliyet columnist Kadri Gürsel made the statement in remarks delivered on behalf of the National Committee, which currently holds the rotating leadership of the Freedom for Journalists Platform (GÖP), an umbrella group representing local and national media organisations in Turkey.
Gursel delivered his remarks outside of the Çağlayan Istanbul Palace of Justice, where 44 Kurdish journalists – 36 of whom have been detained since December – faced the start of trial on terrorism-related charges for their alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Communities Union (KÇK), a group authorities claim is the urban wing of the banned separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The defendants all face charges related to alleged membership in a terrorist organisation, but critics say they are on trial because their journalistic activities have irked Turkish authorities.
Turkey currently holds approximately 80 journalists in prison. While that number is down from more than 100 earlier this year, most observers agree that it still means that Turkey holds more journalists in prison than any other country in the world.
IPI Deputy Director Anthony Mills said: “IPI and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), stand with our colleagues in Turkey: both those who have been imprisoned for their work, and those who are ostensibly free but face a climate of fear and self-censorship that shows no sign of abating. We urge Turkey’s government to release the journalists it holds in prison and to recommit itself to democratic values, particularly freedom of the media.”
The full text of Gürsel’s remarks appears below.
In this legal case, journalism is on trial.
We are here representing the Freedom for Journalists Platform, consisting of more than 90 press organizations, with the aim to defend press freedom and freedom for the imprisoned journalists.
We came here to monitor and call attention to the court case of 44 journalists, 36 of whom were detained after the KCK operations last December.
Journalists from the Özgür Gündem newspaper, the Dicle News Agency, Demokratik Modernite magazine, the Etik Agency, and Fırat Distribution members are detained under the claim that they are terrorists.
“Being a member of terrorist organization” or “being a terrorist”, these are very hash accusations. Unfortunately these have turned into ordinary charges whenever the ruling power wants to silence journalists or media organs.
In this legal case, journalism is on trial.
In this case, the activities of journalism are being criminalized by extralegal concepts such as provocation, propaganda, discrediting, serving for organizational benefits.
We, the Freedom for Journalists Platform, opine that labelling the activities of journalism as terrorism is an attack against press freedom.
Because press freedom either exists or it does not.
In a country where press freedom is denied to those journalists unliked by the ruling political power – whatever their opinions, ideology, political line – it cannot be claimed that democracy can be settled or developed.
We ask those who are sensitive to such events and public opinion to protect the values of press freedom. Press freedom is not only freedom for journalists but also freedom for all people.
