TGC: The perpetrators of any attack against 63 journalists are known

The Board of Directors of the Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC) stated in its declaration regarding the journalists targeted by the MHP: "To date, no one has achieved anything by threatening, targeting, injuring, or killing journalists. The truth could not be hidden. Those who commit murders are not journalists." The statement included the following views:

"In the Gallery of Murdered Journalists at the TGC Press Museum, there are the names and photographs of 67 journalists who were killed in Turkey because they were targeted by politicians. In our country, where the dark hands behind the trigger are never found even if the hitmen are exposed, journalists are targeted and attacked every day, and the attackers are rewarded with impunity.

Most recently, journalists have been targeted again through the case file of the Sinan Ateş Murder Trial. The MHP, a partner in the ruling coalition, has filed complaints against 154 people, including journalists who reported on the Sinan Ateş murder, as well as politicians, academics, and legal experts who provided commentary. The 63 journalists mentioned in the petition are being accused of 'influence agency' by MHP spokespersons, are being openly threatened by being told 'we are keeping a close watch,' and are being blacklisted.

The list includes our TGC Vice President Doğan Şentürk, our Audit Board member Hilmi Hacaloğlu, and our members Emre Kongar, İsmail Saymaz, Hakan Çelenk, Merdan Yanardağ, Miyase İlknur, Murat Ağırel, Yalçın Doğan, Murat Yetkin, Namık Koçak, Orhan Bursalı, Murat Muratoğlu, Mustafa Balbay, Çiğdem Toker, Deniz Zeyrek, Fatih Polat, Atakan Sönmez, Orhan Uğuroğlu, Nurcan Gökdemir, Taha Akyol, and Uğur Dündar. The list also includes our colleagues: Akif Beki, Ali Kemal Erdem, Altan Sancar, Asuman Aranca, Ayşen Şahin, Bahadır Özgür, Barış Pehlivan, Caner Taşpınar, Dinçer Gökçe, Nedim Türkmen, Elfin Tataroğlu, Elif Doğan Şentürk, Ersin Eroğlu, Fatih Ergin, Fırat Fıstık, Fikret Bila, Hüsnü Mahalli, İbrahim Kahveci, İnanç Uysal, İslam Özkan, Kemal Göktaş, Masum Gök, Mehmet Bal, Mehmet Tezkan, Murat Karan, Nevşin Mengü, Nevzat Çiçek, Özlem Akarsu Çelik, Sertaç Eş, Seyhan Avşar, Timur Soykan, Yaşar Aydın, Yavuz Oğhan, Yavuz Selim Demirağ, Yıldız Yazıcıoğlu, Zübeyde Sarı, Mustafa Kurdaş, Hilal Köylü, Umut Taştan, Alican Uludağ, and Özlem Gürses."

THOSE WHO COMMIT MURDERS ARE NOT JOURNALISTS

As the Board of Directors of the Journalists Association of Turkey, we continue to warn. To date, no one has achieved anything by threatening, targeting, injuring, or killing journalists. The truth could not be hidden. Those who commit murders are not journalists.

JOURNALISTS ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND THE TRUTH

According to the Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities of Journalists in Turkey: A journalist uses press freedom honestly on behalf of the public's right to receive accurate news and information. They fight against all forms of censorship and self-censorship. A journalist is primarily accountable to the public and the truth. A journalist has the right to freely access all information sources and to follow and investigate all events that determine public life and concern the public. A journalist cannot destroy information, ignore it, or alter texts and documents.

PRESS FREEDOM IS THE FOUNDATION OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

As expressed in the decisions of the ECHR and the Constitutional Court, freedom of the press and expression is the foundation of a democratic society. It applies not only to news and ideas that are accepted as favorable, but also to those that are contrary to, shocking to, or disturbing to the state or a segment of the population. These are the requirements of pluralism, tolerance, and open-mindedness.

JOURNALISM IS NOT A CRIME

Journalists are obligated to report and provide commentary on issues that have come before the courts, as in all areas of public interest. This is a duty. Our Constitution and the Press Law state this as well. The perpetrators of any act of violence against our members and colleagues are known. We hereby inform the public that we will hold those who target them and those mentioned in the incidents responsible for any negative outcome that may befall our colleagues. We call on the government and the opposition to exercise common sense to protect freedom of the press and expression. #Journalism is not a crime."

News Source: 12punto