Call from Journalist Organizations on Erdoğan: ‘Freedom for Journalists in Prison‘

Link: Bianet

With a summon of Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) and Reporters without borders (RSF) upon the arrest of Cumhuriyet daily’s executive editor Can Dündar and Ankara delegate Erdem Gül, organizations for freedom of press and expression have leagued together and made a call on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The judicial system has been instrumentalized, is the denounce following their meeting: “Dündar and Gül have maintained an honorable stance for journalism, investigating the truth and protecting freedom and have fulfilled their occupational duties by releasing information to the public which was subject to their interests. Yet President Erdoğan has announced clearly that Dündar ‘will pay a heavy price’. Pressuring journalism with political procedures can not be tolerated and the last two arrests show the final situation instrumentalizing the judicial system has arrived.”

The Government keeps pressuring media with the economic card, is the second point raised in the meeting. The call states that “the government votes for oppressive legislation on one hand and plays its economic card on the other hand to intensify its pressure on media organs”. Dündar, Gül and other arrested journalists must be released immediately, the pressed charges must be withdrawn and obstacles before freedom of press and expression should be removed. Organizations for freedom of press and expression have also called on national and international organizations to stand against the authoritarian attitude of Erdoğan.