His Excellency Bülent Ecevit
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey
Prime Minister’s Office
Ankara
Turkey

Fax: + 90 312 417 57 43

Vienna, 5 June 2001

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, is deeply concerned over a draft media law that would require Internet websites in Turkey to submit their pages to the authorities prior to publication.

According to our sources, if the draft law is passed, website operators would be forced to hand over copies of pages to a prosecutor and a governor’s office before they post it on the Internet. All electronic broadcasts carrying text or pictures would be affected by the proposed legislation. In addition, the draft law would also oblige new Internet service providers to obtain permission from the authorities before starting operations.

The requirement to submit material to the authorities, prior to its publication, is an undue restriction on freedom of the media and expression. It could be used by the authorities to prevent publication of material deemed harmful to their interests, including criticism or other forms of discourse that are healthy and necessary parts of public debate in democratic societies. Indeed, judging by recent actions taken against websites in Turkey, it would appear that the draft law could provide the authorities with further powers to censor information before it is published, which is in contradiction with internationally accepted standards.

On 16 February, it was reported that the website www.subay.net was taken off the Internet after it allegedly insulted the Turkish army. It is IPI’s belief that the proposed law could be used in a similar way by the authorities to control what is being published on the Internet. Consequently, it is in gross violation of Article 10.1. of the European Convention on Human Rights to which Turkey is bound. This Article guarantees everybody’s “…freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.” We therefore urge Your Excellency to take the necessary steps to ensure that any legislation introduced concerning the media is in line with internationally accepted standards and that the current draft law is withdrawn.

We thank you for your attention.

Johann P. Fritz
Director