Turkey criticized for lack of press freedom

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The PACE report criticizes Turkey for its failure to convict ‘the masterminds’ of the murder of journalist Hrant Dink, who was killed on Jan 17, 2007. EPA photo

Turkey has been criticized for its media freedom stature according to a report by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). 

“The high number of journalists imprisoned, detained or prosecuted has a paralyzing effect on its media environment,” the report read, while the country was said to have “more journalists in detention than any other State in the world.” 

“In April 2012, as many as 95 journalists were in jail awaiting trial or serving sentences after being convicted,” the report read, adding that the number has increased since. 

“The majority have been charged or convicted under laws related to terrorism or incitement to violence or hatred, or insulting the Turkish nation or institutions of the State.” 

The report added that many of the imprisoned journalists were arrested and charged in connection with the “Ergenekon” case into an alleged plot to overthrow the government. 

The report also referred to the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in 2007. 

“In 2011, a man of nationalist views was sentenced to a prison sentence of over 20 years for shooting Dink, but the masterminds of the killing have not been convicted,” it was said. 

The report listed Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Macedonia, Ukraine and United Kingdom as other countries, where incidents threatining the media freedom are seen.