Press Council's World Press Freedom Award presented to journalists and true journalism

Press Council President Pınar Türenç stated, "When the law becomes politicized, the economy and production collapse like dominoes. In the end, every segment of society suffers. We know from history books that those who pave their own way are temporary and eventually lose. It is a historical fact that in so-called democracies where rules are absent, law is ignored, and rights are suspended, the order breaks down and collapse occurs when vital freedoms are disregarded. Interference with journalists for the sake of informing society correctly and for the public's right to receive news is unacceptable."

The Press Council held an award ceremony at the Pera Museum in Beyoğlu on May 3, World Press Freedom Day.

The award, organized to draw attention to the importance of press freedom, honor journalists working in this field, and inform the public, was presented this year to journalists and true journalism.

The event was attended by members of the Press Council High Board (BKYK), veteran journalist and former Press Council President and former CHP MP Oktay Ekşi, CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, İzmir Journalists Association President Dilek Gappi, Istanbul Bar Association Secretary General Attorney Hürrem Sönmez, journalists Turgay Noyan, Atilla Gökçe, Timur Soykan, Barış Terkoğlu, 12punto columnists Dr. Elfin Tataroğlu and Dr. Şenol Çarık, former Istanbul Bar Association Secretary General and BKYK member Attorney Burcu Öztoprak Alsulu, Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) Zonguldak Branch President and BKYK member Ali Ayaroğlu, Prof. Dr. Ersin Kalaycıoğlu, former Istanbul Bar Association Board Member Attorney Hüseyin Köprülü, Attorney Onur Cingil, and numerous figures from the media, academia, business, and legal worlds.

In her opening speech at the ceremony, hosted by Levent Yıldız, Press Council President Pınar Türenç said, "It is a historical fact that in so-called democracies where rules are absent, law is ignored, and rights are suspended, the order breaks down and collapse occurs when vital freedoms are disregarded."

Reminding that our country was ranked 99th in the World Press Freedom Index 23 years ago, Türenç stated that we are now facing the reality of having fallen 59 places to 158th today.

Türenç expressed the following:

"Journalists are those who fulfill this duty with respect for the public's right to freely access news and the truth. And they are the guarantors of these rights. For this reason, the public and journalism are an inseparable whole.

However, journalists trying to perform their duties to exercise this right are facing difficulties like never before in recent times.

Every year, we are forced to constantly repeat what we say on this very day.

Everyone in this hall has either witnessed or learned how bans, blackouts, and arrests have come down like a sledgehammer on the press during periods when we have drifted away from democracy.

'HEAVIER PRESSURE THAN EVER BEFORE...'

We say that today, on World Press Freedom Day, we must talk about how, in our glorious 101-year-old Republic, there is a struggle to deliver the truth to the public under conditions of heavier pressure, intimidation, marginalization, or conditions that should never exist in democracies.

We must talk about how to fight with determination against unjust detentions, arrest warrants, pressures, unemployment, threats, intimidation, and human rights violations.

We must talk again, right today, about how protecting freedom of thought and expression, human rights, press freedom—which must be protected by the constitution and laws—and the public's right to reach the truth is a sacred duty.

For example, without forgetting the attack on the editor-in-chief of Turkey's 'flagship' newspaper in front of his home in September 2015, those who broke the newspaper's door windows, and the freedom vigils held at the gates of Silivri for more than 100 journalists placed in Silivri cells by fabricating fake crimes...

Without forgetting how media organizations were forced to change hands, the comments in the foreign press that 'the Turkish people are resisting autocracy,'

how the jobs of writers who were not liked by the administrations were terminated, how threats and blackmail were showered on newspaper managements, and the recent period when many journalists were left unemployed, we must talk about it again.

Why we are in 158th place out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, among countries with a 'very serious' situation...

'WE WILL ALL MAKE THE DECISION'

We wanted to talk and think once more for the happy future of everyone, for the unhappy youth of this beautiful 101-year-old country, and for its unemployed journalists thirsty for news,

on our press freedom day...

How beautifully Aşık Veysel said; 'The garden of one who steals another's spring will not bloom.'

I wish for us to reach our springs and for May 3rd to be experienced freely."

'WE ARE THE MEMORY OF SOCIETY'

Following Pınar Türenç, journalist Gülnur Saydam spoke. Reminding that they were subjected to lynching by a troll army on social media after their reports and that lawsuits were filed against them, Saydam said, "The public, which we try to enlighten while receiving death threats, prevents journalism from becoming material for politics. We are the memory of society. As long as I live, I will work for this memory."

'I WILL BE THERE AGAIN WITH MY HEAD HELD HIGH'

Irmak Uyan, an Istanbul University student who was detained in Silivri Prison for 19 days, recalled that her home was raided by two buses of anti-terror police after a march she attended, and said, "We were with journalists in custody and in prison; knowing that the public was behind us gave us strength."

Uyan stated, "Even though there was no evidence, we were brought to court and my hearing was postponed to October 3. I will be there again that day with my head held high. It will make us very happy to see you journalists there."

AWARD TO JOURNALISTS AND TRUE JOURNALISM

The Press Freedom Award, given each year to a journalist or institution, was presented this year to journalists and true journalism who have been detained, sentenced to house arrest with ankle monitors, held in custody for days, kept in Silivri Prison, left unemployed, or faced lawsuits, but who stubbornly insist on journalism and continue to resist.

News Source: 12punto