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UNI MEI supports Turkish colleagues of UNI Global Union affiliate HABERSEN  and journalists’ organisations who have launched a campaign to call for releasing journalists in prison and declare demands for ensuring freedom of press and expression with support from our sister organisations the International and  European Federations of Journalists.

UNI MEI calls on affiliates to support the actions of the Turkish colleagues: please share and sign their petitionUNI MEI calls on affiliates to support the actions of the Turkish colleagues: please share and sign their petition

In response to the dramatic attack on freedom of expression by the Turkish government and the imprisonment of more than thirty journalists, the media unions and journalist organisations demand that

• The pressures interfering with people’s rights to information should be abandoned;
• The pressures targeting journalists should come to an end, journalists freedom of movement, security and access to news sources should be ensured across the country;
• Unlawful investigations against journalists should be abandoned;
• The 34 imprisoned and convicted journalists should be released;
• Should stand trial without arrest;
• The practice accreditation should be abandoned which invalidates the principle of equality in acquiring information;
• Regardless of how staggering the incidents may be, people’s rights to information should not be constricted, the application of broadcast blocks should be abandoned which already contradict the law;
• Internet censorship and access blocks should come to an end;
• Public procurements and advertisement of public corporations should be distributed among media actors equally;
• The practice of taking out  broadcasting corporations found unpleasing by the government of satellite operators such as TURKSAT and digital broadcast platforms which are supposed to be unbiased should be stopped;
• The Article 199 of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) based on which libel lawsuit for defaming the President and public officials are brought before court should be changed. The habit of pushing journalists to auto-censor through charges of defamation should come to an end;
• Approaches which obstruct forming trade unions in the media should be avoided;
• A commission should be set up within the Grand National Assembly to study the issue of increasing unemployed journalists in the sector due to pressure against newspaper owners;
• The political authority should avoid approaches which hinder practicing journalism in compliance with the values of universal journalism and Turkey Journalism Rights and Responsibilities Declaration.