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TURKEY'S PRESS FREEDOM PROBLEM
AZG DAILY
21-04-2011
Matthew Brunwasser reports, the Armenian Mirror-Spectator weekly.
There are now 61 journalists in detention in Turkey, a country that
is held up as a model for Islamic democracies.
Eight Turkish journalists have been arrested over the past month. They
are accused of, among other things, participating in a terrorist
organization called Ergenokon. Lawyer Huseyin Ersoz represents three
jailed journalists. He says it's clear from their interrogation that
they were arrested because of their critical reports on the ruling
AK Party.
"All the questions directed to our clients were not just about the
events but about the reporting process: how they found their news
and which contacts they used," Ersoz said: "They were interrogated
about their sources, specific phone calls and what their point in
doing the story was?"
Turkish press groups say silencing journalists is a big problem that's
gaining attention worldwide. There are now 61 journalists in detention
and some 5,000 pending court cases. Senior European Union and US
officials have weighed in on the seeming discrepancy between Turkey's
stated support for a free press and the detention of journalists.
"We are trying to make sense of this," US Ambassador to Turkey Frank
Ricciardone said.
Lawyer Huseyin Ersoz said there's no mystery.
"It's the beginning of an empire of fear," Ersoz said. "If the AKP
were to use the law against offending the Turkish nation, then everyone
in society and the international community would oppose them.
But since they are fighting against terrorism, the greatest crime
you can imagine, no one dares to resist."
Turkish legislation provides a rich arsenal of ammunition to silence
reporters. There are laws against spreading propaganda and laws
against obtaining sensitive information for example.
Those laws - alone - are used by the government to punish reporting
on Kurdish rebels and national security issues. In one case, the
government is accused of using tax authorities to punish a critical
media group. Turkish Daily News editor and columnist Barcin Yinanc
said the Turkish government is hypocritical when it criticizes others
in the region for a lack of freedoms.
"While at home they don't implement some of the basic tenets of
democracy," Yinanc said. "One of them is freedom of the press."
Emma Sinclair-Webb, who is with Human Rights Watch, said that Turkey
still hasn't got a record that fits a democratic society. She said that
Turkey today is politically more open than it was but that there is a
"confusing" pattern of state harassment of journalists.
Reporters from the left and the right, secularists and Islamists all
feel the pressure. And as the party in power, the ruling AKP is simply
the worst offender.
"Until Turkey gets its own house in order, it will never be a fully
credible leading country in the region to advise others what to do,"
Sinclair-Webb said. "And getting its own house in order, on issues
like press freedom, freedom of expression, has to be a priority for
a country which does seek a regional role and play as a big actor in
the newly emerging Middle East."
Political Motivations
Turkish politicians also launch personal legal actions to silence
critical journalists, including one famous suit by the prime minister
against a political cartoonist, for portraying his face on a cat
tangled in yarn.
"What message does that send out about your tolerance of free speech,
your tolerance of dissent, your tolerance of shocking and disturbing
views, which are all permissible in a democracy?" Sinclair Webb asked.
Government officials deny any political motivations in the recent
arrests. At a recent meeting of the governing AK Party, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan wondered whether journalists considered themselves
exempt from Turkish law.
"A legal action has been taken against a website," Erdogan said. "They
say, the government muzzles the journalists. What it got to do with
us? Certain chorus immediately weighs in. I wonder, are there any
provisions stating media executives, journalists have legal immunity
and we don't know about it? Are media entities privileged? Are they
exempt from laws, taxes? Can't they be prosecuted?"
The prime minister's strong public warnings to journalists may have
a chilling effect observers say - but Turkish journalists are still
writing punchy stories. And the clash between the press and the state,
loud and spirited under normal conditions, is just cranking up as
Turkey enters the campaign season for national elections in June.
(This story originally was broadcast by Public Radio International's
"The World," a radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features,
interviews and music from around the globe.)
From: A. Papazian
AZG DAILY
21-04-2011
Matthew Brunwasser reports, the Armenian Mirror-Spectator weekly.
There are now 61 journalists in detention in Turkey, a country that
is held up as a model for Islamic democracies.
Eight Turkish journalists have been arrested over the past month. They
are accused of, among other things, participating in a terrorist
organization called Ergenokon. Lawyer Huseyin Ersoz represents three
jailed journalists. He says it's clear from their interrogation that
they were arrested because of their critical reports on the ruling
AK Party.
"All the questions directed to our clients were not just about the
events but about the reporting process: how they found their news
and which contacts they used," Ersoz said: "They were interrogated
about their sources, specific phone calls and what their point in
doing the story was?"
Turkish press groups say silencing journalists is a big problem that's
gaining attention worldwide. There are now 61 journalists in detention
and some 5,000 pending court cases. Senior European Union and US
officials have weighed in on the seeming discrepancy between Turkey's
stated support for a free press and the detention of journalists.
"We are trying to make sense of this," US Ambassador to Turkey Frank
Ricciardone said.
Lawyer Huseyin Ersoz said there's no mystery.
"It's the beginning of an empire of fear," Ersoz said. "If the AKP
were to use the law against offending the Turkish nation, then everyone
in society and the international community would oppose them.
But since they are fighting against terrorism, the greatest crime
you can imagine, no one dares to resist."
Turkish legislation provides a rich arsenal of ammunition to silence
reporters. There are laws against spreading propaganda and laws
against obtaining sensitive information for example.
Those laws - alone - are used by the government to punish reporting
on Kurdish rebels and national security issues. In one case, the
government is accused of using tax authorities to punish a critical
media group. Turkish Daily News editor and columnist Barcin Yinanc
said the Turkish government is hypocritical when it criticizes others
in the region for a lack of freedoms.
"While at home they don't implement some of the basic tenets of
democracy," Yinanc said. "One of them is freedom of the press."
Emma Sinclair-Webb, who is with Human Rights Watch, said that Turkey
still hasn't got a record that fits a democratic society. She said that
Turkey today is politically more open than it was but that there is a
"confusing" pattern of state harassment of journalists.
Reporters from the left and the right, secularists and Islamists all
feel the pressure. And as the party in power, the ruling AKP is simply
the worst offender.
"Until Turkey gets its own house in order, it will never be a fully
credible leading country in the region to advise others what to do,"
Sinclair-Webb said. "And getting its own house in order, on issues
like press freedom, freedom of expression, has to be a priority for
a country which does seek a regional role and play as a big actor in
the newly emerging Middle East."
Political Motivations
Turkish politicians also launch personal legal actions to silence
critical journalists, including one famous suit by the prime minister
against a political cartoonist, for portraying his face on a cat
tangled in yarn.
"What message does that send out about your tolerance of free speech,
your tolerance of dissent, your tolerance of shocking and disturbing
views, which are all permissible in a democracy?" Sinclair Webb asked.
Government officials deny any political motivations in the recent
arrests. At a recent meeting of the governing AK Party, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan wondered whether journalists considered themselves
exempt from Turkish law.
"A legal action has been taken against a website," Erdogan said. "They
say, the government muzzles the journalists. What it got to do with
us? Certain chorus immediately weighs in. I wonder, are there any
provisions stating media executives, journalists have legal immunity
and we don't know about it? Are media entities privileged? Are they
exempt from laws, taxes? Can't they be prosecuted?"
The prime minister's strong public warnings to journalists may have
a chilling effect observers say - but Turkish journalists are still
writing punchy stories. And the clash between the press and the state,
loud and spirited under normal conditions, is just cranking up as
Turkey enters the campaign season for national elections in June.
(This story originally was broadcast by Public Radio International's
"The World," a radio news magazine offering a mix of news, features,
interviews and music from around the globe.)
From: A. Papazian