Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Vice Co-Chair Saruhan Oluç wrote a letter to the national and international journalism organizations regarding the grave media embargo against the party.

The letter by HDP Vice Co-Chair said the followings:

“There are now only a limited number of days left to go before the Referendum for Constitutional Change to be held on April 16. As Referendum Day approaches, we are observing together how the hardened problems of the media impact upon the future of society in Turkey. It is, of course, clear that we do not have the right to determine the editorial policies of media organizations, nor do we have such an intention. However, as a political party that received the vote of 6 million citizens, the grave media embargo that we have been placed under urges us to make a statement on the issue, and mark this instance in history.

It is first necessary to underline a number of facts regarding the TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation), a ‘public institution’, which by law, must remain impartial. The data we have reveals that the TRT, while broadcasting the referendum campaigns of political parties, brazenly violates its own law, the RTÜK (Supreme Board of Radio and Television) Law and the principles of the Supreme Election Council of Turkey.

When we look at the distribution of live broadcast and debate programs on the TRT News Channel for the period from 1 to 22 March, 2017, we observe that the Presidency was allocated 1390 minutes, the AKP [the Justice and Development Party, the party in power] 2723 minutes, the CHP [the Republican People’s Party, the main opposition party] 216 minutes, the MHP [the National Movement Party] 48 minutes, and no time at all, or 0 minutes, to the HDP, the People’s Democratic Party. A similar picture exists for durations allocated in news bulletins and the distribution of guests on debate programs.

We presented, today, a petition containing similar, striking data regarding the TRT’s biased conduct to RTÜK (Supreme Board of Radio and Television). However, needless to say, the TRT is not the only organization that displays a visibly partial, unfair stance that in no way observes journalistic ethics. The abolition of the Supreme Election Council’s powers of control and inspection with a recent Legislative Decree (KHK), has injected further recklessness into the biased and dependent stance of private television channels.

On 17 national channels, during the period from 1 to 22 March, 2017, the President and the AKP were allocated a total of 420-and-a-half hours of live broadcast [on private TV channels], while the HDP was allocated no time at all. In the same way, while the President, Prime Minister, leaders of other political parties, members of parliament and political party representatives were invited many times as guests, not a single representative of the HDP was invited to a single TV program.

Yes, it is true that the media in Turkey has never been completely independent from political power. Economic relationships have always influenced the discourse of media outlets. However, during no period of the history of the Republic has the government had so much sway over the media. In brief, the relationship between media and the government in Turkey is experiencing its worst, darkest and most dependent period ever.

We know well that you, too, as professional organizations with a say in your field are aware of this situation, and often comment on the issue. However, as the party that experiences this embargo in the heaviest and most intense manner, during a critical process that will determine the fate of our peoples, we expect your contribution to protect the right to access information of each and every one of our citizens.”