Independent Communication Network (BIA) launched the ‘April-June 2018 Media Monitoring Report’. According to the report, 127 journalists entered July in prison; 33 of them are still on trial and investigations against 40 have still not turned into lawsuits.
315 journalists, columnists, editorial executives and cartoonists standing trial within the three-month period faced a total of 47 heavy life imprisonments, 1 life imprisonment, 3,034 years and six months of imprisonment and a total of 4 million and 40 TL of material or moral compensation. 2 heavy life imprisonment sentences and imprisonment sentences for a total of 137 years, 2 months and 19 days were issued in 33 cases concluded within the three-month period.
16 journalists stood trial due to ‘insulting the President’ with their writings, opinions or criticisms. Two new lawsuits were filed against the journalists and investigations against six are ongoing. Only in the last three-month period, 22 journalists have become defendants and suspects of the charge of ‘insulting Erdoğan.’
As the access ban on Wikipedia continues on its 14th month; 32 news articles, 77 tweets, 22 Facebook posts and 5 YouTube videos were censored within the April-May-June 2018 period. 2 newspapers and 1 TV channel were shut down with emergency decrees. Two reporters and one media office were attacked; Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli publicly targeted 59 journalists who criticized his party during the election period. Arrested criminal organization leader Alaattin Çakıcı, who was previously visited by Bahçeli at a hospital, threatened six Karar Newspaper writers with death.
Please click here for the full report.
13.07.2018
bianet.org