Opposition press under attack
Opposition press under attack
Left opposition media have recently being heavy targeted by the Turkish government. They faced closure, raid, detention and arrest like most of the Kurdish media. Following the operation against socialists on 23 June and against union members two days later, todays operation and raid was carried out against alternative left wing media in Turkey.
The ruling AK Party has been attacking freedom of expression and thought as well as political organizations, unions, intellectual circles.
Turkey has turned into the largest prison for journalists, as well as union members, lawyers, elected representatives, students, women and children. And the silence of western governments has certainly helped that.
According to the Platform for Freedom for Jailed Journalists, 96 journalists, including 19 publishers, are currently jailed in Turkish prisons and the majority of the jailed press members are made up of Kurdish journalists.
The most recent operation on the media was carried out against Atýlým paper and Etkin News Agency (ETHA) office in Aksaray district of Istanbul on 26 June. The offices of the paper and agency have reportedly been raided and searched for allegedly being media organs of MLKP organization. The operation ruled by Istanbul 9th High Criminal Court continues in both offices as no detention is reported yet.
Eight people, included two journalists, were taken into custody as a result of simultaneous police raids against socialists on 23 June. Five of the detainees were remanded in custody by a court in Ankara on 25 June.
Two days after this operation, Turkish police carried out a wide operation in 26 provinces targeting members of KESK and the unions affiliated to it. Including KESK Chairperson Lami Özgen, 71 Kurdish union members were taken into custody in this operation. At least 39 executives and members of KESK have been put in jail in recent months.
The ruling AK Party has been attacking freedom of expression and thought as well as political organizations, unions, intellectual circles.
Turkey has turned into the largest prison for journalists, as well as union members, lawyers, elected representatives, students, women and children. And the silence of western governments has certainly helped that.
According to the Platform for Freedom for Jailed Journalists, 96 journalists, including 19 publishers, are currently jailed in Turkish prisons and the majority of the jailed press members are made up of Kurdish journalists.
The most recent operation on the media was carried out against Atýlým paper and Etkin News Agency (ETHA) office in Aksaray district of Istanbul on 26 June. The offices of the paper and agency have reportedly been raided and searched for allegedly being media organs of MLKP organization. The operation ruled by Istanbul 9th High Criminal Court continues in both offices as no detention is reported yet.
Eight people, included two journalists, were taken into custody as a result of simultaneous police raids against socialists on 23 June. Five of the detainees were remanded in custody by a court in Ankara on 25 June.
Two days after this operation, Turkish police carried out a wide operation in 26 provinces targeting members of KESK and the unions affiliated to it. Including KESK Chairperson Lami Özgen, 71 Kurdish union members were taken into custody in this operation. At least 39 executives and members of KESK have been put in jail in recent months.
