CNN Türk, journalists receive ‘information and democracy’ award

ANKARA

CNN Türk, its Ankara representative Hande Fırat, and daily Hürriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi have received the “Information and Democracy Award” for their critical role in countering the July 15 coup attempt, at the 33rd National Informatics Congress held by the Turkish Informatics Society (TBD) and launched on Dec. 8 by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. 

Fırat and Selvi received their awards from Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya.  

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Yıldırım spoke about the night of the coup attempt and emphasized the importance of the informatics sector for democracy.

“In my opinion, journalists were the secret heroes of that night. The press and media have undertaken a historical mission that night. The private sector, state sector and all media organizations took steps against the coup and kept informing citizens. They did not act on conviction or instruction but out of duty,” he said.

“In the private sector, [putschists] went to CNN Türk but did not succeed. So we have to acknowledge the power of the media in suppressing this coup. We need to acknowledge the importance of our press, publishing organizations and media organizations’ patriotic contributions,” Yıldırım added.

In addition, Yasemin Özsoy, the wife of Ahmet Özsoy who died in Türksat’s Ankara headquarters on July 15, Osman Sefa Karslı, the son of Ali Karslı who also died at Türksat’s headquarters, NTV, A Haber, Türksat, Türk Telekom, Turkcell and Vodafone were also awarded “TBD Information and Democracy Awards.”