Panel discusses the freedom of expression

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

Participants of the panel, which held by Dutch Consulate included Turkish journalists Nadire Mater and Faruk Mercan, as well as Dutch journalist Wilco van Herpen.

The Dutch Embassy and Consulate General organized a panel discussion on freedom of speech and expression in Istanbul on Nov. 15.

Moderated by Turkish journalist and anchorwoman Banu Güven, participants of the panel included Turkish journalists Nadire Mater and Faruk Mercan, as well as Dutch journalist Wilco van Herpen.

Among the discussed issues were arrests of journalists and academics in Turkey as well as Internet bans, women’s freedom of expression and censorship.

The panelists also discussed the recent arrests of members of the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), which is the alleged urban wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Among the recently arrested were political science professor Büşra Ersanlı and publisher Ragıp Zarakolu.

“Zarakolu and Ersanlı should immediately be released,” said Mater, a journalist and an adviser for the independent web portal bianet.

Mater also said Turkey’s anti-terror law and Kurdish issue should immediately be resolved.

Van Herpen stressed freedom of expression was a domestic issue and was especially an urgent issue for women in Turkey. “Many women are killed today for speaking up,” he said.

Mercan, on the other hand, said Turkey had taken major steps for better freedom of expression, such as the establishment of TRT-6,

the state-run Kurdish-language channel.

The freedom of expression debate was also held in Ankara yesterday before moving to İzmir’s Nottingham Bistro. The debate will be back in Istanbul on Nov. 19