AMED - Free Press workers have been continuing to convey the truth to the public for 7 years, despite the fact that the press institutions they work for have been sealed by the Statutory Decree. DFG Co-Chairperson Serdar Altan said: "If a strong solidarity network is built, this repressive regime can be defeated."

 

The State of Emergency (OHAL), which was declared after the military uprising in the country on July 15, 2016 and was extended 7 times at 3-month intervals, ended on July 17, 2018; however, their practices still continue. 36 Decree Laws (Decree Laws) were issued within the scope of the state of emergency. The first targets of the decrees issued under the name of "fighting against the community" were Kurds and opposition groups. Public institutions were targeted with Decree Law No. 667, and the Free Press was targeted with Decree Law No. 668.

 

KURDISH PRESS WAS TARGETED

 

18 television channels, 3 news agencies, 23 radio stations, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines, 29 publishing houses and distribution channels were closed with the Decree Law No. 668, issued 12 days after the coup attempt. There are also the televisions that were closed down were İMC TV, Hayat'ın Sesi TV, Özgür Gün TV, Jiyan TV, Azadi TV, Değer TV, Van TV, Van Genç TV, TV 10, Mezopotamya TV, Birlik Medya TV and Zarok TV. The second decree regarding the press was decree no. 675 on October 29. 15 media outlets, including Dicle News Agency (DİHA), Jin News Agency (JINHA), Özgür Gündem newspaper and Azadiya Welat newspaper, were closed.

 

7 YEARS PASSED

 

The pressures against the free and opposition press have continued uninterruptedly for the past 7 years. Since then, apart from the closures, internet blocking, detentions and arrests against the Free Press have continued. 26 journalists, including Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) Co-chairperson Serdar Altan, were arrested, while 7 journalists, including DFG Co-chair Dicle Müftüoğlu, were arrested within the scope of the investigations carried out in 2023 within the scope of the investigations carried out in Amed and Ankara in 2022; however, despite the closure, detentions and arrests, Free Press workers did not refrain from conveying the truth to the society.

 

Habibe Eren, who worked at JINHA, the first women's agency in the world and was closed down by Decree Law No. 675, and is currently a journalist at JINNEWS, and DFG Co-chairman Serdar Altan evaluated the 7-year process.

 

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST PRESSURE

 

Stating that the pressures against journalists became normal with the state of emergency, journalist Eren said: “Closures were not enough, censorship, detention and pressures became systematic. We had to make a special effort to follow the news in the field. Journalists were not only physically affected by this situation, but also the public was targeted to reach the truth. This also brought about a great struggle."

 

Underlining that the closure of JİNHA, which started its broadcasting life with the slogan "We write without worrying about what men say", was not independent of the existing patriarchal system, Eren said: "JİNHA boldly adopted a new media approach that based women, made their voices heard and strengthened them in every sense, against oppression, marginalization and sexist policies. For this reason, its voice was wanted to be silenced. Its website was blocked dozens of times, it was targeted by perpetrators, and our news was subject to prosecution. It was targeted because it gave voice to women, Kurds and all others who were subjected to harassment, rape and lawlessness; however, female journalists continue to listen to the voice of the society and announce the truth."

 

PRESSURE, CENSORSHIP, DETENTION AND ARREST

 

DFG Co-Chairperson Serdar Altan, who was arrested with 15 colleagues in Amed in 2022 and released in the first court appearance after 13 months, said: "The pressure and censorship against journalists continued in the centenary of the Republic. Pressure, censorship and coercion increased during the AKP rule. We are talking about a banned journalism that can hardly be mentioned anymore, a press that is being tried to end. One of the milestones of this process is 2016. At that time, the country was suddenly plunged into darkness. An attempt was made to leave society as a whole breathless. The aim was to pave the way and clear the way for larger operations and orientations. As a matter of fact, immediately afterwards, endless operations were launched against the political sphere and non-governmental organizations, and there was almost no media outlet left to write and explain what was happening.”