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SEN. SCHUMER AND MORE THAN 70 COLLEAGUES CALL ON STATE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS MEDIA INTIMIDATION IN TURKEY
NEWS | MARCH 26, 2015 12:39 PM
________________________________
WASHINGTON -- US Senator Charles E. Schumer, along with 73 other United
States Senators, wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry this week
to urge the State Department to immediately address issues stemming
from of the intimidation of journalists and censorship of the media
by President Tayyip Erdogan's Administration in Turkey. According
to Turkish and American news reports, the Erdogan Administration has
intimidated and harassed members of the Turkish media who are vocally
opposed to the current Administration. On December 14th, the editor
in chief of Zaman, a highly circulated daily newspaper in Turkey,
was arrested and the CEO of Samanyolu Media Group was arrested; both
individuals lead major news organizations known to be critical of the
Erdogan Administration. In the letter to Secretary Kerry, Schumer and
his colleagues wrote, "we strongly urge you to address this issue with
President Erdogan and his administration in a way that encourages
peaceful and appropriate resolution to these cases." Schumer noted
that this is a departure from Turkey's long tradition of democracy
and tolerance of civic dissent, and urged that these treaty partners
address this issue.
"As a democracy with a long tradition of tolerance of a civic discourse
and as a valued American partner in many endeavors, the current Turkish
government under President Erdogan needs to stop suppressing the free
press and put an end to gross intimidation efforts among members of
the media who express opinions or report events in a way that the
regime feels is opposed to their interests.
Secretary of State Kerry should address the worrisome trend towards
undemocratic behavior in President Erdogan's Administration and
urge the government to adhere to the basic principles of democracy,
including freedom of the press - something that has long been a value
in Turkey," said Schumer.
"The Erdogan Administration should be held accountable for these
egregious abuses of free speech," said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS),
the co-author of the letter. "Arresting journalists and censoring the
media are the hallmarks of an authoritarian regime, not a democracy.
I hope Secretary Kerry will work to resolve these troubling
developments without delay."
A copy of the Senators' letter is below:
Dear Secretary Kerry,
We write to express our deep concern about the persistence of human
rights violations in Turkey. We are particularly concerned by the
recent arrest and detainment of members of the Turkish media and the
broad effort by the Erdogan Administration to censor the freedom of
press. A strong democracy requires that all members of the society
respect the freedom of expression, even when voices opposed to the
government are vocal. We hope that you will address this issue as
you engage with the Turkish government.
According to Human Rights Watch, President Erdogan's Administration
has begun a "crackdown" on critical voices in the Turkish media. The
Administration has attracted international attention in recent months
with the arrest of Ekrem Dumanli, editor-in-chief of Zaman, a highly
circulated daily newspaper in Turkey, and Hidayet Karaca, CEO of
Samanyolu Media Group. On December 14, 2014, these members of the
media were arrested and detained on questionable charges. Mr. Dumanli
has since been released, but Mr. Karaca unfortunately remains
detained. Both Mr. Dumanli and Mr. Karaca lead major news organizations
critical of the Erdogan Administration.
Unfortunately, this case reflects a broader pattern of abuse. One
year prior to these arrests, allegations of corruption were levied
against the Erdogan Administration. Subsequently, many prominent
journalists lost their jobs for writing material that was critical
of the Erdogan Administration. These tactics are unacceptable in a
democracy; a free press is central to full access to information for
citizens. The attempt by the Turkish government to punish and censor
the Turkish media is a matter of deep concern for the United States.
We strongly urge you to address this issue with President Erdogan
and his Administration in a way that encourages a peaceful and
appropriate resolution to these cases. Such a broad effort by
the Turkish government to censor media is an affront to the basic
principles of democracy, free society, free enterprise, rule of law,
and equal opportunity.
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2015/03/26/sen-schumer-and-more-than-70-colleagues-call-on-state-department-to-address-media-intimidation-in-turkey/
NEWS | MARCH 26, 2015 12:39 PM
________________________________
WASHINGTON -- US Senator Charles E. Schumer, along with 73 other United
States Senators, wrote to Secretary of State John Kerry this week
to urge the State Department to immediately address issues stemming
from of the intimidation of journalists and censorship of the media
by President Tayyip Erdogan's Administration in Turkey. According
to Turkish and American news reports, the Erdogan Administration has
intimidated and harassed members of the Turkish media who are vocally
opposed to the current Administration. On December 14th, the editor
in chief of Zaman, a highly circulated daily newspaper in Turkey,
was arrested and the CEO of Samanyolu Media Group was arrested; both
individuals lead major news organizations known to be critical of the
Erdogan Administration. In the letter to Secretary Kerry, Schumer and
his colleagues wrote, "we strongly urge you to address this issue with
President Erdogan and his administration in a way that encourages
peaceful and appropriate resolution to these cases." Schumer noted
that this is a departure from Turkey's long tradition of democracy
and tolerance of civic dissent, and urged that these treaty partners
address this issue.
"As a democracy with a long tradition of tolerance of a civic discourse
and as a valued American partner in many endeavors, the current Turkish
government under President Erdogan needs to stop suppressing the free
press and put an end to gross intimidation efforts among members of
the media who express opinions or report events in a way that the
regime feels is opposed to their interests.
Secretary of State Kerry should address the worrisome trend towards
undemocratic behavior in President Erdogan's Administration and
urge the government to adhere to the basic principles of democracy,
including freedom of the press - something that has long been a value
in Turkey," said Schumer.
"The Erdogan Administration should be held accountable for these
egregious abuses of free speech," said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS),
the co-author of the letter. "Arresting journalists and censoring the
media are the hallmarks of an authoritarian regime, not a democracy.
I hope Secretary Kerry will work to resolve these troubling
developments without delay."
A copy of the Senators' letter is below:
Dear Secretary Kerry,
We write to express our deep concern about the persistence of human
rights violations in Turkey. We are particularly concerned by the
recent arrest and detainment of members of the Turkish media and the
broad effort by the Erdogan Administration to censor the freedom of
press. A strong democracy requires that all members of the society
respect the freedom of expression, even when voices opposed to the
government are vocal. We hope that you will address this issue as
you engage with the Turkish government.
According to Human Rights Watch, President Erdogan's Administration
has begun a "crackdown" on critical voices in the Turkish media. The
Administration has attracted international attention in recent months
with the arrest of Ekrem Dumanli, editor-in-chief of Zaman, a highly
circulated daily newspaper in Turkey, and Hidayet Karaca, CEO of
Samanyolu Media Group. On December 14, 2014, these members of the
media were arrested and detained on questionable charges. Mr. Dumanli
has since been released, but Mr. Karaca unfortunately remains
detained. Both Mr. Dumanli and Mr. Karaca lead major news organizations
critical of the Erdogan Administration.
Unfortunately, this case reflects a broader pattern of abuse. One
year prior to these arrests, allegations of corruption were levied
against the Erdogan Administration. Subsequently, many prominent
journalists lost their jobs for writing material that was critical
of the Erdogan Administration. These tactics are unacceptable in a
democracy; a free press is central to full access to information for
citizens. The attempt by the Turkish government to punish and censor
the Turkish media is a matter of deep concern for the United States.
We strongly urge you to address this issue with President Erdogan
and his Administration in a way that encourages a peaceful and
appropriate resolution to these cases. Such a broad effort by
the Turkish government to censor media is an affront to the basic
principles of democracy, free society, free enterprise, rule of law,
and equal opportunity.
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2015/03/26/sen-schumer-and-more-than-70-colleagues-call-on-state-department-to-address-media-intimidation-in-turkey/