ANKARA - HDP Vice Co-Chair Tayip Temel stated that the January 10 Working Journalists' Day was welcomed in a dark era and said that the freedom of press and expression have taken a great hit by the government.

 

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair responsible for the Press, Broadcasting and Propaganda, Tayip Temel, made a written statement on January 10, Working Journalists' Day. Celebrating the day of journalists who turns January 10 into a day of struggle, Temel said that Working Journalists' Day was met in bad conditions. Stating that the censorship of the press deepened with the “Censorship Law” and that this law brought penalties, Temel said, “With the Law No. 7418 on the Amendment of Certain Laws with the Press Law, which came into force in October, more censorship and heavy penalties were introduced, it was a heavy blow to the freedom of the press and expression. The one man regime, the Presidency's Directorate of Communications and the Press Advertisement Agency and the Radio and Television Supreme Council carries out many anti-democratic practices in order to 'discipline' the press workers and institutions.

 

27 JOURNALISTS ARRESTED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS 

 

Stating that the opposition and Kurdish journalists have suffered the most from the dark picture created by the government, Temel said, “Just like every year, professional press organizations published the data revealing the dark picture of their profession on Working Journalists' Day. According to the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association's (DFG) Report on Rights Violations Against Journalists in 2022, 39 journalists were arrested last year and 76 journalists were given various sentences. According to the report; While 132 journalists were prevented from following news stories, 65 journalists were attacked. During the year, 56 websites were closed, and access to 1109 news and 2210 content was blocked. Undoubtedly, the opposition and Kurdish journalists are most affected by this dark picture of the press. Just in the last 6 months, 27 free press workers have been arrested.”

 

'WE WILL STAND BY THE JOURNALISTS'

 

Temel said, “Despite all kinds of oppression, attacks and persecution, we celebrate the Working Journalists' Day of the press workers who turned today into a day of struggle against detentions and arrests, obstructions, censorship and unemployment. We will continue to stand by the journalists who are unable to work, who are imprisoned.”