Left Front calls on EU to intervene for journalists imprisoned in Turkey
Left Front calls on EU to intervene for journalists imprisoned in Turkey
European Parliament member Patrick Le Hyaric, Vice-Chair of European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), wrote a letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, in relation to the imprisoned journalists in Turkey.
Below is the letter in which Patrick Le Hyaric asks EU to intervene in the case of jailed journalists to enable them practice their job freely and independently.
"Under the guise of fight against terrorism, the Turkish authorities have recently arrested around a hundred journalists and media workers. Among these journalists who were taken to the court in Istanbul, there is also one who suffers serious health problems but denied to be taken in consideration by the Turkish judiciary. Apart from this group, many others are imprisoned for months, even years.
How can the EU ever show tolerance to this situation without triggering alert procedure, or how doesn’t it ever demand freedom for journalists in a country candidate to the European Union?
I would like to know Madame High-Representative whether you intend to perform an intervention to ensure respect to the right of Turkish journalists to exercise their profession freely and independently.
The European Federation of Journalists which has nearly 250,000 members is very attentive and concerned about this serious situation.
I am as well joining the Federation to demand the release of all journalists who are unjustly imprisoned in Turkey.”
According to the latest report of the Platform of Jailed Journalists Support (TGDP), the number of journalists in prison is 105, including 19 grant holder and editors in chief.
Among jailed journalists, there are 27 journalists of DIHA, 16 journalists of Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat, including four former editors and an editor, 12 journalists of Özgür Gündem and three journalists of Fýrat News Agency (ANF).
Apart from journalists in prison, dozens of newspaper distributors are also held in prison. According to the most recent report of Bianet published on 31 January, at least 30 newspaper distributors are currently held in prison.
Below is the letter in which Patrick Le Hyaric asks EU to intervene in the case of jailed journalists to enable them practice their job freely and independently.
"Under the guise of fight against terrorism, the Turkish authorities have recently arrested around a hundred journalists and media workers. Among these journalists who were taken to the court in Istanbul, there is also one who suffers serious health problems but denied to be taken in consideration by the Turkish judiciary. Apart from this group, many others are imprisoned for months, even years.
How can the EU ever show tolerance to this situation without triggering alert procedure, or how doesn’t it ever demand freedom for journalists in a country candidate to the European Union?
I would like to know Madame High-Representative whether you intend to perform an intervention to ensure respect to the right of Turkish journalists to exercise their profession freely and independently.
The European Federation of Journalists which has nearly 250,000 members is very attentive and concerned about this serious situation.
I am as well joining the Federation to demand the release of all journalists who are unjustly imprisoned in Turkey.”
According to the latest report of the Platform of Jailed Journalists Support (TGDP), the number of journalists in prison is 105, including 19 grant holder and editors in chief.
Among jailed journalists, there are 27 journalists of DIHA, 16 journalists of Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat, including four former editors and an editor, 12 journalists of Özgür Gündem and three journalists of Fýrat News Agency (ANF).
Apart from journalists in prison, dozens of newspaper distributors are also held in prison. According to the most recent report of Bianet published on 31 January, at least 30 newspaper distributors are currently held in prison.
