Media organizations recognize Working Journalists' Day

ANKARA

Professional organizations and unions within the journalism community issued a series of statements as Türkiye marked Working Journalists' Day on Jan. 10.

The Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC) released a congratulatory statement to all colleagues, whether currently employed or grappling with unemployment.

The TGC's statement drew attention to the passage of 63 years since the press law's enactment. "A large group of journalists are not employed under this press law," read the statement issued by the association's board of directors.

In a separate statement, the Journalists' Union of Türkiye (TGS) drew attention to official data revealing that journalism graduates face the third-highest unemployment rate, trailing only social services and arts graduates. The Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD), for his part, declared the day as one of "solidarity and struggle" for freedom of the press.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş marked the occasion with a visit to press members working in the parliament. Last week, he praised the recent proposal by the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to grant special passports to journalists with 15 years of experience, describing it as a "proper move."

Meanwhile, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun also published a message. "As we do today, we will continue to protect the rights and laws of members of the press, facilitate their professional lives and support them to carry out exemplary work all over the world in the coming period," he wrote on X.

Altun also touched upon the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, expressing concern that journalists covering the conflict "were not only deprived of their right to freedom of the press but also their right to life."

Reminding the toll on reporters during the Israeli attacks on Gaza, he acknowledged the loss of over 100 journalists' lives and many other injuries during the Israeli attacks on Gaza.