In Turkey, 10 January has been celebrated as Working Journalists' Day since 1962, when the Law No. 212 on Intellectual Workers came into force in 1961. While on the one hand, legal arrangements have been made to protect freedom of thought and expression through struggles, in practice, the press has not been spared any pressure. 

 

While Turkey ranks last in the press index in countries where authoritarian governments and dictatorships are at work, according to the 2024 Report on Violations of Rights of Journalists published by the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), 118 journalists were detained and 26 journalists were arrested. According to the report, 43 journalists are imprisoned in prisons, 47 journalists were attacked, 912 journalists were prevented from following news, 501 websites were shut down and 5,260 news articles were blocked from access.

 

Etkin News Agency (ETHA) reporter Elif Bayburt, Evrensel Newspaper reporter Eylem Nazlıer and Gazete Patika reporter Yadigar Aygün evaluated the pressures on free press and the difficulties journalists face in the field for our agency.

 

Evaluating the pressures on the opposition and free press, Etkin News Agency (ETHA) reporter Elif Bayburt reminded the recent pressures and attacks against the press. Elif Bayburt reminded that 2 days ago was the anniversary of the murder of Evrensel newspaper reporter Metin Göktepe by torture, and that journalists Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan, who were following the news in North and East Syria, were targeted by Turkey's UCAV and killed.

 

She added, "More than 200 journalists were killed in Palestine by Israeli attacks. All of them were journalists who exposed the genocide crimes there, brought the people's experiences to the agenda and announced them to the world. As revolutionary, socialist and pro-people journalists, there is a picture in which our lives are being targeted first and foremost."

 

Underlining that journalists are being tried in many cases due to their news, "Apart from this, there are many difficulties we face in the field," she said and added, "No matter how much they seem to oppose the AKP-MHP government, they can very quickly align themselves in the same line when it comes to a situation such as what happened to a revolutionary journalist, an operation, arrest, detention, the murder of Nazım and Cihan."

 

Elif Bayburt emphasised that they do not carry out an impartial journalism activity; that they are on the side of the labourers, oppressed peoples and women, and that they work to enlarge this struggle and to raise the voices of the struggling groups. Drawing attention to the fact that journalists face the same attack along with every segment attacked by the government, Elif Bayburt said, "We are trying to step on the paths treaded by many journalists such as Metin Göktepe, Hrant Dink, Musa Anter, Şirin Abu Akile, who set an example for us, and to be worthy of them, and to be worthy of the working class and oppressed peoples we are the voice of."

 

'JOURNALISTS ARE BEING MURDERED'

 

Eylem Nazlıer, reporter for Evrensel Newspaper, stated that they have to spend Working Journalists' Day not by celebrating, but by struggling. Emphasising that journalists in the field are always targeted and silenced, Eylem Nazlıer said, "On 8 January 1995, Metin Göktepe, a reporter for Evrensel Newspaper, was murdered by police violence while on duty, saying 'I have to follow this news'. As we commemorate him at his grave, we realise that not much has changed. The 7 journalists arrested while commemorating our colleagues Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin who were killed in Syria... Their story is the same. Nazım and Cihan were murdered while trying to inform the world about what the peoples in Syria were going through. Today, journalists trying to keep their memory alive are being silenced."

 

Eylem Nazlıer stated that the oppression against journalists has become systematic and that no press card other than the turquoise press card issued by the Presidency is considered valid. Eylem Nazlıer pointed out that journalists who do their duty face insults, threats, physical violence and obstructions and said, "The police target the press first. They resort to violence to prevent us from filming. Hitting us with shields, shutting down our equipment, physical sweeping... It has all become routine. No matter what happens, we will continue to pursue the truth. We will defend the public's right to information. We will be on the side of the right and the people, not the power."

 

'OUR COLLEAGUES MUST BE RELEASED'

 

Yadigar Aygün, reporter of Gazete Patika, emphasised that the attacks against the opposition press continue in every field and that journalistic activity is considered as a "criminal offence" and pressure is tried to be created. Pointing to the pressures, Yadigar Aygün continued, "Journalists are detained and arrested. We are subjected to police violence during many news follow-ups. We are being prevented from documenting torture. It is not a crime to deliver the truth to the public. Today there are 41 imprisoned journalists in prisons. Our colleagues should be released as soon as possible. We will defend the people's right to information until the end. Despite all pressures and obstructions, we will continue to write the truth, be on the streets, and be the voice of the oppressed."

 

MA / Yeşim Tükel