İSTANBUL - Represantatives of press organizations, reacted to the fact that journalists and political prisoners are excluded from the law proposal on execution, and said: "Government says 'Those who are not with me shall die'"
The "Law on the Execution of Criminal and Security Measures and Amendments in Certain Laws" prepared by the AKP and MHP groups, is currently being discussed at the parliament. While it is known that around 90 thousand ordinary prisoners will be released under the regulation, journalists, academics, students and political prisoners are excluded from the regulation. First ten articles of the regulation have passed until now.
Timur Soykan from 'Have you heard the news' (Haberin Var Mı?) Initiative, stated that throughout the history, governments have always targeted journalists to prevent the truths from being revealed.
Soykan, stating that the government is trying to neutralize the society and the media, Soykan said that in recent years, there has been much more authoritarian and oppressive practices and an empire of fear has been created. Soykan stating that journalists are the first ones to be targeted in times like these, said: "Turkey has turned into a hell for journalists. The imprisoned journalists that resisted against the oppression, defending the freedom of press are jailed with trumped up charges and without any evidence. More than 100 journalists are still in prison in Turkey."
Stating that there are more people than the capacities in prisons and that the prisons are poor in terms of hygiene while the prisoners are not able to access healthy food, demanded that the journalists to be released immediately. Soykan said: "Prisons were evacuated in many places around the world due to this epidemic. The first ones to be released in many countries were the journalists and political prisoners. Even in Iran. But, right now in Turkey, many people guilty of massacres and murders are being released while people in prison for expressing their thoughts like journalists are left in the prison faced with death.This is a truly terrible picture. It is the clearest indication of how unscrupulous this country is."
TGS President Gökhan Durmuş, stating that child molesters, murderers of women, members of gangs and criminal organizations are benefiting from the law, reacted to the exclusion of journalists from the law proposal and demanded their immediate release.
Durmuş said: "We see that they are turning a bling eye to our calls.It is very important for the press organizations and journalists stand together in solidarity in these days. We will have our friends released with solidarity."