DİSK BASIN-İŞ: We will stubbornly continue to practice the profession of journalism

Members of the Press, Publishing and Printing Workers' Union of Turkey (DİSK BASIN-İŞ) gathered to protest the pressures and arrests targeting journalists. In a press statement read by members who gathered at Taksim Tunnel, the following remarks were made:

“Although the AKP-MHP government has been using 'softening' rhetoric with the opening of the new legislative year, we see that the reflection on the ground is the exact opposite. 

In October alone, at least 9 of our colleagues were obstructed while covering news and faced police violence and threats. The work hours of journalists in courthouse corridors remained intense in October as well. As a result of these trials, where 104 journalists were tried in 39 files, 11 journalists were sentenced to a total of 19 years, 8 months, and 13 days in prison. While investigations were launched into 7 journalists, lawsuits were filed against 6 others. 

DİSK Basın-İş Union member Furkan Karabay experienced the injustice and lawlessness he described in his reporting. In a country where drug lords, murderers, crime machines, and gang leaders walk around freely, journalists are being arrested. They want to drown honorable, honest, and courageous journalists in the swamp of the judiciary. As Furkan said, 'Won't we all need the law one day?'

While the AKP government voices 'peace' rhetoric on one hand, it has increased its pressure and attacks on those who demand peace on the ground, targeting journalists as well. Based on these policies of the government, 11 journalists were subjected to ill-treatment in October, a month in which 9 journalists were detained, and 7 journalists were threatened. 

The government, which has adopted the principle of hiding the truth from the public, did not stop there; it imposed access bans on 119 social media accounts, and many citizens were detained on the grounds of their social media posts. 

Also in October, a decision was made to confiscate 5 issues of the daily newspaper Yeni Yaşam, precisely while 'peace' rhetoric was being used. As if this archaic decision were not enough, an access ban was also imposed on a column published in the newspaper. The newspaper's distributors were detained and subjected to threats. In Batman, a newspaper distributor was targeted. Individuals who identified themselves as police and attempted to draw weapons on journalists and detain Yeni Yaşam employee Veysi Akören fled after the reaction of surrounding citizens and journalists. Newspaper distributors in Istanbul, Diyarbakır, and Dersim have been and continue to be subjected to similar threats.  

Açık Radyo, which embraces diversity, focuses on social issues and the climate crisis, and is cited as an example in radio broadcasting, has faced RTÜK fines for many years. Finally, RTÜK revoked Açık Radyo's terrestrial broadcasting license. 

These are what we, as members of the press, have experienced in the last month, but we will stubbornly continue to practice our profession of journalism, which is our public duty.”

News Source : 12punto