A recently-released quarterly press report by the Contemporary Journalists’ Association (ÇGD) has revealed that 318 journalists were detained and 103 of them were jailed in Turkey over the past one year, the Evrensel daily has reported.
According to the report, 1,404 journalists lost their jobs while 147 media organizations were closed down since a state of emergency was declared in the aftermath of a botched coup attempt on July, 15, 2016.
The report also revealed that one journalist lost his/her life, two news websites were closed down, access was denied to 25 news websites and 624 press cards and 32 parliament cards of the journalists were revoked while four foreign journalists were deported from Turkey in the same period.
The report also said 39 journalists were detained, 26 of them were arrested and 89 were fired from their jobs during the months of April, May and June 2017.
During the last three months, access was denied to eight news websites, six press members were assaulted, the house of one press member was attacked and three foreign press members were deported from Turkey.
“The oppression is now directly targeting the real owners of the news, that is the public; you, me and all of us,” said the report.
Criticizing the arrest of journalists and deputies, the report stated that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is aiming to destroy citizens’ access to information and free will to make a decision while silencing the press.
According to the report, the media organizations which were seized by the government during the state of emergency have been transferred to pro-AKP businesses.
The Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) has also documented that 264 journalists are now in jails as of July 18, most in pre-trial detention languishing in notorious Turkish prisons without even a conviction. Of those in Turkish prisons, 240 are arrested pending trial, only 24 journalists remain convicted and serving time in Turkish prisons. An outstanding detention warrants remain for 109 journalists who live in exile or remain at large in Turkey.
Detaining tens of thousands of people over alleged links to the movement, the government also closed down more than 180 media outlets after the controversial coup attempt. (SCF with turkishminute.com) July 21, 2017
