Özgür Gündem to be closed for one month, says Court
Özgür Gündem to be closed for one month, says Court
A Court ordered the closure for a month of the daily paper Özgür Gündem.
As soon as the news reached the streets, readers and supporters of the paper as well as other free press journalists met to organize a protest against the court's decision. Today they will meet in Taksim square in Istanbul at 6pm.
Obviously untouched by the numerous criticism from within Turkey and from abroad, the ruling AK (Justice and Development) party continue to repress and try to silence all free voices. The press has been harshly tageted in recent months by the AKP. On 20 December over forty journalists have been detained. Nearly all of them are employed by Kurdish media outlet and left papers. Today Turkey has 107 journalists behind bars.
Özgür Gündem has paid a high price in its work for freedom and unbiased press. Many of its journalists are in prison and many in the past have been killed.
The Court's decision to close the paper for one month is yet another proof of the government's fear of truth. The fine has been inflicted for "making propaganda for an illegal organization".
As soon as the news reached the streets, readers and supporters of the paper as well as other free press journalists met to organize a protest against the court's decision. Today they will meet in Taksim square in Istanbul at 6pm.
Obviously untouched by the numerous criticism from within Turkey and from abroad, the ruling AK (Justice and Development) party continue to repress and try to silence all free voices. The press has been harshly tageted in recent months by the AKP. On 20 December over forty journalists have been detained. Nearly all of them are employed by Kurdish media outlet and left papers. Today Turkey has 107 journalists behind bars.
Özgür Gündem has paid a high price in its work for freedom and unbiased press. Many of its journalists are in prison and many in the past have been killed.
The Court's decision to close the paper for one month is yet another proof of the government's fear of truth. The fine has been inflicted for "making propaganda for an illegal organization".
