Press organizations: Struggle against censorship and oppression is a must

img
ANKARA - Stating that the Disinformation Law is a "law of censorship", representatives of press organisations warned that freedom of the press will detoriorate.
 
The 40-item "Bill of law on the Amendment of the Press Law and Some Laws" tabled at the Parliament by the AKP and MHP was accepted by the Parliamentary Justice Committee. If the law, which the opposition says will be used for "censorship and silencing the society", passes the Plenary Session, the authority to issue press cards will be given to the Directorate of Communications. The authority of the Press Advertisement Agency (BİK) and the Information Technologies and Communications Agency (BTK) will be increased. A new definition of crime is introduced into the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) within the scope of Article 29, which is the most controversial article in the bill. In this context, a new type of crime added with the allegation of "spreading misleading information to the public" which imposes prison sentences on journalists and social media users. In addition, BTK will be able to request information from communication platforms. Serious sanctions are also imposed on social media network providers.
 
The Plenary Session discussions of the proposal were postponed to the new legislative period, as a result of the objections of both the opposition parties and the professional journalists' organisations against the law proposal, which also includes interferences with the freedom of press and expression.
 
Contemporary Journalists Association (CGD) Chair Can Güleryüz and Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions(DİSK) Press-Business Central Anatolia Regional Turgut Dedeoğlu evaluated the content of the bill.
 
OPPRESSION AND CENSORSHIP WILL INCREASE
 
Stating that the law proposal will increase the existing pressure and censorship, Contemporary Journalists Association Chair Güleryüzlü said: "This will pave the way for arbitrary practices against freedom of thought and expression. The proposal is against the decisions of the 28th article in the Constitution, which includes the provision 'The press is free, it cannot be censored', and the 10th article of the European Convention on Human Rights, under which Turkey is also a signatory, under the heading 'freedom of expression', and the Constitution and various decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.
 
'EVERY NEWS STORIES CAN BE CRIME”
 
Adding that the law will hinder the thoughts and ideas of those who share about the government in   social media, Güleryüzlü said: “The professional group that will be most subject to the regulation is journalists. If every news they write disturbs the government, they will be punished by being included in the scope of this regulation. It is inevitable that especially article 29 of the proposal will turn into a tool to blame those who engage in critical and investigative journalism. The accusation of 'disturbing the public peace' in the aforementioned article is appropriate for an ambiguous and arbitrary interpretation. In this respect, all kinds of disturbing news stories will be prevented and punished as desired within the scope of the accusation of 'disrupting public order and peace, general health’.”
 
Stating that after the bill was introduced, they met with the parties in the Parliament and voiced their objections, Güleryüzlü said: “We have insisted that the regulation will take Turkey to an even darker point(?) in the field of freedom of expression and press, which is already very backward. Considering that the problems to be experienced will not only cover journalists, but will affect almost every part of the society in some way, we have come together with democratic non-governmental organisations and we will continue to do so.”
 
THE LAW SERVES THE INTERESTS OF THE AKP
 
DİSK Press-Business Regional Representative Turgut Dedeoğlu said: “The disinformation law will be a law that will pave the way for the AKP government and its media. When we look at the law, there is nothing good and useful in it. It is one of the biggest obstacles to freedom of the press. The disinformation law will create a big obstacle to the free press.”
 
Stating that the press cards will be given to journalists working in the internet media, but censorship and self-censorship will begin in the case of criminal sanctions to be applied, Dedeoğlu said: “Within the scope of social media, if you went to a news story or made a statement while you were passing by, or if you report on an AKP MP committing corruption, it will be considered a crime. With the law, journalists will be punished 3 times more.”
 
‘ALL JOURNALISTS SHOULD BE ORGANISED  FOR THEIR RIGHTS’
 
Underlining that journalists should be more organized with the law, Dedeoğlu said, “Journalists have to be more organized from now on. This is one of the things the government fears most to go out on the street, to seek justice. We need to make our voices heard not through press releases, but through more effective organizational work.”
 

View More Articles

31/10/2022
14:56 Message from Fincancı: Keep fighting
14:15 Imprisoned female journalists: We are the successors of Gurbetelli, we will not be silent
13:03 Journalist Ağgöz: We were accused of the facts we revealed
30/10/2022
15:12 Arrest of journalists will be protested in Şişhane
14:59 Turkey's chemical attacks continue
13:20 'Free Press does not bow down'
13:17 HDP application to visit Imralı remains unanswered
29/10/2022
18:16 The prosecutor's comment taken as the basis, not the statements of the journalists.
13:01 Condemnation from Rojava to the arrest of journalists
12:51 'Turkey creates an opportunity for the spread of HTS'
08:39 9 Journalists arrested
28/10/2022
21:01 Journalist referred to court with request of arrest
16:25 New application submitted by Öcalan's family and legal guardian
16:17 The prosecutor questioned the journalists about their news stories
13:45 'Call to join March of Humanity Against Chemical Weapons'
12:46 Former soldier Yaylalı: I am a witness to war crimes
12:33 Journalists brought to courthouse started giving their statements to prosecutor's office
12:30 Journalists brought to courthouse handcuffed behind the back
27/10/2022
16:32 Şebnem Korur Fincancı arrested
14:16 Lawyers of Öcalan submits new application for a visit in İmralı
11:14 Journalist Değer: We will continue to be the voice of those silenced
10:44 Journalist Nazlım: We are honoured for our insistance in the truth
07:46 Journalists' detention period extended for the second time
07:46 Journalist Ağgöz released with condition of house arrest
07:45 Imprisoned journalist Ren resisted strip search, battered
26/10/2022
18:43 Journalist Değer battered and dragged by hair under custody
18:07 Message from journalists: We are insisting on truth, we will never bow down
16:48 Support grows for Fincancı in custody: You are never alone
16:21 Police forces journalist to pose with Turkish flag
14:35 Journalist Altan reported the torture: 'We will force your head down, don't make it difficult'
14:12 Journalist professional organisations: Detention of journalists is a result of their news about Turkey's use of chemical weapons
14:03 Seven detained journalists transferred to Ankara
13:43 Torture on journalists: Lawyers to file criminical complaint
11:49 Journalists in Ankara: We will continue to scare them with the truth
11:25 Şebnem Korur Fincancı arrested over comments on chemical weapons
25/10/2022
17:00 Journalist Derya Ren arrested
16:57 Women journalists react to arrests: ‘The free press will not bow down’
16:29 Criminal element turns out to be a microphone after 6 hours of search in Ankara MA office
16:17 Journalist Zemo Ağgöz, mother of 45-day-old baby, detained
16:11 Detained journalists restricted from consulting their lawyers
14:35 ‘The free press will not back down’: Dicle-Fırat Journalist Association calls for solidarity
14:33 Reaction from journalism organisations: You can not silence journalism
14:07 Journalists forced to bow their heads being detained
12:24 11 Kurdish journalists detained
11:59 Journalists tortured during house raids
11:15 MA Ankara Office riaded, scores of journalists detained
24/10/2022
15:40 Ban on seeing the mother who says 'her bijî kurê min'
15:34 Another mother lost her life longing for her imprisoned child
13:50 Turkish intelligence says it killed SDF member who died a year ago
13:43 The police confiscated the banner of the Şenyaşar family: The prosecutor is disturbed!