Professional media organisations’ response to MHP targeting journalists: The threat is alarming!
TGC: MHP PR is looking for journalists
“Finally, journalists have been targeted again through the files in the Sinan Ateş Ateş murder case,” the statement said, adding:
“The MHP, a government partner, has filed a complaint against 154 people, including journalists who reported on Sinan Ateş’s murder, politicians, academics and lawyers who conducted the assessment. The 63 journalists who joined the petition are accused of being MHP spokespeople and agents of media influence. They have been openly threatened and profiled, with people saying: ‘We are under close surveillance.'”
The list includes TGC Vice Chairman Dogan Şentürk, Supervisory Board member Hilmi Hakaroglu, members Emre Kongar, İsmail Saymaz, Hakan Çelenk, Merdan Yanalda, Miyace Ilknul, Murat Açler, Yalçin Dogan, Murat Yetkin, Namik Koçak, Orhan Bursali, Murat Muratoglu, Mustafa Barbay, Cigdem Toker, Deniz Zeyrek, Fatih Polat, Atakan Sonmez, Orhan Üroğlu, Nurcan Gökdemir, Taha Akyol and Ugur Dundar. The list also includes our colleagues. Akif Beki, Ali Kemal Erdem, Altan Sancar, Asman Aranka, Ayssen Şahin, Bahadur Özgür, Barış Pehlivan, Canel Tashpinar, Dincel Gökçe, Nedim Türkmen, Erfin Tataröl, Elif Doğan Şentürk, Ersin Eroğlu, Fatih Ergin, ırat The members are: Fikret Bila, Hüsnu Mahali, İbrahim Kahveci, İnans Uysal, Islam Özkan, Kemal Göktaş, Masum Gök, Mehmet Bal, Mehmet Tezcan, Murat Karan, Nevsin Meng, Nevzat Çiçek, Özlem Akars Çelik, Sertac Eş, Seyhan Avzal, Timur Soykan, Yaşar Aydın, Yavuz Orhan, Yavuz Selim Demira, Yıldız Yazıçoğlu, Zubeyde Sali, Mustafa Kurdash, Hilal Koylu, Umut Tashtan, Alikan Uludag and Özlem Gülses.
“It wasn’t the journalists who committed the murders.”
“So far, no one has been able to do anything by threatening, targeting, injuring and killing journalists. The facts could not be hidden. Those who committed the murders are not journalists,” the statement said.
According to the Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities of Journalists in Turkey, a journalist will honestly use the freedom of the press for the right of the people to receive accurate news and information. He fights against any kind of censorship and self-censorship. Journalists are primarily responsible to the people and to the truth. Journalists have the right to freely access sources of information, to determine the public’s life, and to monitor and investigate all events that concern the public. Freedom of expression of the press and ideas is the basis of a democratic society, which requires pluralism, tolerance and open-mindedness.
Journalists have a duty to provide news and opinions on issues raised in court, as in any area of public interest. This is an obligation. It is written in the press law of our constitution. It is clear who is responsible for acts of violence against our members and colleagues. We want the public to know that we will hold those who targeted us, and those mentioned in the case, responsible for any negative things that may happen to our colleagues. We call on the government and the opposition to use common sense to protect the freedom of expression of the press and ideas. #JournalismIsNotACrime. “
TGS: New Attack on Press Freedom
Meanwhile, the TGS responded to the targeting of journalists in a message issued to mark the Day of Struggle for Press Freedom on July 24.
In a statement, it said: “Just before July 24, a new attack on press freedom came from the ruling MHP, with the party headquarters being attacked following the threats and targeting of journalists by Vice President Uluk Okaklar following the murder of Sinan Ateş. It was discovered yesterday that a group of journalists and politicians had “filed a complaint against him.”
The statement read: “The MHP, which requested to participate in the Sinan Ateş case as ‘victims of crime’, named 63 journalists, including our members, in the application petition and asked for them to be summoned.” The petition to the court stated that “separatists, liberals, Marxists and elements of the FETO structure, in coordination with various global forces, have systematically and consistently smeared the MHP with posts, news and articles that suit their political interests.” Journalists were once again targeted, with the “punishment” alleged.
The TGS statement stressed: “With impunity for attacks against journalists, the bar is rising a notch higher with each passing day. Threats and targeting have reached alarming levels. 116 years of struggle for the right to be informed and for journalists working for the people. Let us not forget that only by unity can we rid the media of today’s censorship.”
