Turkey on 154th in press index

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

DHA Photo

Turkey slipped a further six places, dropping to 154th of 179 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

Turkey “is currently the world’s biggest prison for journalists, especially those who express views critical of the authorities on the Kurdish issue,” according to a statement by the Reporters Without Borders.
Turkey is often criticized by international press associations for its lack of press freedom, but Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has remained nonchalant.

“We don’t care about the notes given by some associations. Take a look at their most democratic country and then research what is happening there,” he said yesterday. “According to the evaluations by some institutes, those who hold a press card and help terrorism are in the jail. The guy is caught with a gun in his hand, and being charged with killing a security [official]. And he is called a journalist.”

“[Those institutions’] sources are out of order. We make our decisions on our own,” he added.