In a statement on yesterday’s incidents at Taksim Square, Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) said eighteen journalists were wounded and four others beaten and detained by police while covering news during the daylong protests at Taksim Square on Tuesday.
TGC called on the government, the opposition and the media to active duty to ensure the safety of journalists and underlined that media and press organizations must resist against all kinds of repression and perform a transparent duty while covering the news, so that they can reveal the truths and serve for people’s freedom of information.
“Those who have so far turned a blind eye to the severe conditions press members are facing today, under the repression and threat of imprisonment, and the politicians who claim that the people have no demands for the freedom of expression and the press have to see the truth now”, said TGC.
TGC remarked that the criticism that government and opposition side’s criticism directed at the media since the beginning of the incidents have made press workers become a target. TGC called on politicians to pay attention to their statements about the media and to provide media organizations with necessary equipment to guarantee the safety of life for journalists.
Media organizations are responsible for ensuring journalists a working environment free from censorship and self-censor, TGC underlined and criticized the Radio and Television High Council (RTÜK) for imposing a fine on Ulusal TV, Halk TV, Cem TV and EM TV for allegedly promoting violence in society by broadcasting scenes of the events during the last two weeks.
TGC said RTÜK acted in line with the opinions of the government and called on the Council to display an objective attitude.
12 June 2013
Source: firat news
