Eren YILMAZ
İstanbul
Media organisations reacted to the lawsuit against Evrensel Newspaper, made by Berat and Serhat Albayrak, claiming 'insulting' and 'defamation', due to reporting on the documents called 'Paradise Documents', in which the name of the two accusers, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak and his brother, are listed.
General Chairman of TGS, Journalists’ Union of Turkey, Gökhan Durmuş said "We declare that we are with Çağrı Sarı, whom will appear before the judges on Wednesday, and we will continue to defend the right to report." While RSF (Reporters Without Frontiers) Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu said that “RSF will be with Mr Sarı on 13 June, in order to emphasize that economic stability is also based on free financial reporting." Press Workers’ General Secretary for DISK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey), Faruk Eren, also said, “For as long as journalists are not free, there will be no democracy in this country. We hope that these lawsuits, against every broadcaster which upsets the government, will be ended in the coming period.”
General Chairman of TGS, Gökhan Durmuş said, “The hearing of Çağrı Sarı, former editor of the Evrensel Newspaper, due to his reporting on news will take place on Wednesday. The price of reporting on news in Turkey unfortunately is prosecution, lawsuits and losing your freedom. The news report that was published in the Evrensel Newspaper on Paradise Documents, in which Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak and his brother’s names were listed, is newsworthy all over the world. Besides, it is not acceptable to file a lawsuit against those that report it when no action whatsoever is taken against those named in this document.
It is the foremost responsibility of us journalists to report news in the interest of the public; when we report and get our news to the public we pay particular care to this. It is our first duty to report on those that abuse their positions for personal gains. The interest of the public comes before the interest of individuals.
Besides, Evrensel Newspaper ran this news basing it on a statement made by an MP. We declare that we will be with Çağrı Sarı at his hearing on Wednesday and will continue to defend the right to report as Journalists’ Union of Turkey.”
Turkey representative of RSF, Erol Önderoğlu, stated “ Reporting on the financial sector in Turkey has perhaps been as much of an ‘exclusion zone’ as reporting on military affairs. “The government aims to discipline Çağrı Sarı and Çiğdem Toker, our colleagues who ‘put their noses’ in this area, with threats of imprisonment or heavy indemnity. RSF will be with Mr Sari on 13 June, to emphasize that economic stability is also based on free financial reporting.”
DISK Press General Secretary Faruk Eren: “First of all we will attend these hearings to support our colleagues and call upon friends to attend with us. Turkey is in the midst of a heated election period; everyone is talking about what might happen after the elections. Without exaggeration, there are thousands of cases against journalists as we speak. These cases should be dropped. Our imprisoned colleagues should be released. During the election period political parties and the presidential candidates should address this matter. As long as journalists are not free, there will be no democracy in this country. We all know this. We hope that these lawsuits against every broadcaster that upsets the government will be ended in the coming period. This case too should be dropped.”
The case against Çağrı Sarı, the former section editor of Evrensel, will be heard at 11am at the 2nd Criminal Court in Bakırköy today.
Bülent Falakaoğlu
Hakkı Özdal
