Socialist Party, Swiss Federal Parliament member Rielle Laurence Fehlmann brought the pressure against the Kurdish press to the agenda of the Swiss Parliament with a parliamentary question.

In his parliamentary question, Fehlmann stated that freedom of expression is under threat in Turkey and that journalists, academics, artists, human rights defenders who criticize the policies of the government are faced with detention and arrest. The Swiss MP said that the Federal Government

Fehlmann's parliamentary question said: "Freedom of expression is increasingly under threat in Turkey. Journalists, academics, artists, human rights defenders who criticize the government risk prosecution, criminal investigation, intimidation and censorship.

Recently, 110 journalists, academics, artists, lawyers and politicians have been arrested in 21 southern and eastern provinces of Turkey. Many international organizations, including the UN, Council of Europe, Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, have long condemned the prevailing oppression and lack of freedom of expression in the country. This pressure especially affects Kurdish journalists. Turkey ranks 149th out of 180 in the world press freedom index.

The Erdoğan government is stepping up the pressure and maintaining a climate of fear. This can seriously hamper the enforcement of civil rights, especially for those who experienced the terrible earthquake that hit the country on 6 February.

In the face of this alarming situation, will the Federal Council intervene to call on the Turkish government to respect the international conventions that Turkey has signed, to restore freedom of the press and democratic freedoms, and to release journalists and others who have been arbitrarily imprisoned for their opinions?"

Message of solidarity with Kurdish journalists

Denis de la Reussille, a member of the Federal Parliament of the Swiss Workers' Party and a member of the Swiss Foreign Relations Commission, also condemned the pressure on the Kurdish press.

Reusille told ANF: "I can explain this situation with the weakness of Erdoğan's government and his fear of journalists. Erdoğan’s increased pressure on journalists before the election reveals his fear of the outcome of the elections. This is why he increased the pressure on opposition journalists and the opposition."

Reusille said that "especially after the painful earthquake, we witnessed many violations in the region, corruption and pressure on journalists working on the responsibility of the government on the balance sheet that emerged with the earthquake. Journalists working in the earthquake area were either threatened or prevented from working. All these and opposition journalists. "These pressures are an indication of the weakness of the Erdoğan government and its concern. We want to send our solidarity to the Kurdish journalists."

Photo: Denis de la Reussille