Press Freedom Awards go to jailed journalists

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

Ferai Tınç receives her award. DHA Photo

Jailed Turkish journalists Bedri Adanır and Zeynep Kuray are among a collection of reporters that have been awarded with Press Freedom Awards by the Turkish Journalists Association.
 
Adanır and Kuray were the shared recipients of the grand award, which was accepted in their name by their siblings.

Adanır is one of the key figures behind "Tutuklu,” a publication that contains articles from detained journalists, while Kuray, a journalist with daily BirGün, is under arrest as part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) case.
 
Journalist Ferai Tınç was also awarded for her continuing studies and contributions to the state of press freedom in Turkey, and for her methods of incorporating alternative professions and industries into the fight against restrictions.
 
Tınç said during her acceptance speech that in real democracies "people are not awarded for chasing freedoms."
 
"That is seen as the natural thing," Tınç added.
 
She then called on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to alter his attitude toward the Turkish press.
 
"Give up on this provocative, finger-pointing style," Tınç said. "Lead the way to the release of jailed journalists."