To remain off-air for 10 days: First statement from Sözcü TV after its screen goes black

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) had imposed a 10-day broadcast suspension on Sözcü TV due to broadcasts concerning the investigation process into Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested while serving as the President of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye and was a presidential candidate for the CHP.

Following a lawsuit filed against this decision, the Ankara 25th Administrative Court had temporarily stayed the execution of the 10-day screen blackout penalty imposed by RTÜK. However, following this development, the Ankara 7th Administrative Court, which evaluated the objection filed by RTÜK, canceled the stay of execution decision.

Following all these legal processes, Sözcü TV's broadcasts were suspended for 10 days as of last night.

FIRST STATEMENT FROM SÖZCÜ TV

The first statement came from Sözcü TV, whose screen has gone black. The statement included the following remarks:

"RTÜK has imposed an unprecedented penalty on SÖZCÜ TV for broadcasting the İmamoğlu protests live. As of midnight tonight, the screen of SÖZCÜ TV, where you learn the truth, will remain dark for 10 days! sozcu.com.tr will continue to convey the facts to Türkiye.

A censorship unprecedented in our history has begun to be implemented. While Türkiye is going through a difficult democracy test, SÖZCÜ Media Group, the largest independent organization of the mainstream media, is also being targeted to be silenced with penalties. Türkiye's largest website, sozcu.com.tr, is with you; stay with us and continue to learn all the facts that are intended to be covered up with our understanding of independent journalism.

With the RTÜK decision, the SÖZCÜ TV screen has been blacked out for 10 days. During the 10-day blackout period, only the text of the RTÜK decision will appear on our screen. However, it should be known that this blackout cannot extinguish our light.

Mustafa Kemal said 100 years ago, 'The press is the common voice of the nation. The media cannot be put under pressure or influence for any reason. The remedy for the drawbacks arising from freedom of the press is again freedom of the press.'

As SÖZCÜ Media Group, we will not deviate from our line of being loyal to the universal rules of journalism to the end, possessing an objective stance and journalistic integrity, and reporting what is actually happening rather than what we are asked to present, just as we did yesterday. Because we know that if SÖZCÜ is silenced, Türkiye is silenced.

We are determined to overcome and leave all difficulties behind, shoulder to shoulder, with your support. You can continue to support us by following our news every day via sozcu.com.tr and SÖZCÜ Plus, by subscribing to our YouTube channel, and by purchasing the SÖZCÜ newspaper. The voice of truth is stronger with you."

News Source: 12punto