DİYARBAKIR - DFG made a statement on the occasion of May 3, World Press Freedom Day, saying, "Today is the world press freedom day, but the press is not free."

 

Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) issued a written statement on the occasion of May 3, World Press Freedom Day. In the statement, it was stated that the media plays an important role in enlightening societies, and it was noted that media workers are always targeted in countries where there is no democracy.

 

'Turkey is in a bad situation in terms of freedom of the press'

 

In the statement, which mentioned that Turkey is one of the countries that always try to control the press, it was emphasized that 90-95 percent of the press in Turkey is under the control of the government and journalists cannot work freely. It was noted that journalists who want to practice their profession freely are targeted by the government, "Turkey's place in the freedom of the press is getting worse with each passing day. This year, on May 3, World Press Freedom Day is again greeted with pressure and obstacles. The AKP government is in a race with countries that do not have press freedom to suppress freedom of the press. It does everything in its power to get the first place in this regard. Turkey ranked 153rd in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index of the Reporters Without Borders and ranked among the worst countries again.

 

'We also experienced the circular in practice'

 

In the statement, on the eve of the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the General Directorate of Security issued a circular, draw attention to the decision to recording ban which prohibited the record of police violence during the protests. According to the circular, it was reminded that an investigation will be initiate and criminal sanctions will be imposed on those who took photographs and images of the police during the protests and events.

 

The following was mentioned in the rest of the statement:

 

"We have already experienced this unlawful circular in practice. During the May 1 celebrations, the police threatened and detained the journalists who took photos and images, citing the circular issued. Until now, in many protests and events, the pens and notebooks of journalists were seized by the police for security reasons. With this circular, the cameras will be taken from the hands of journalists. With this circular, the journalists are told that "You can do journalism without using journalism tools". Stating that despite all these pressures and obstacles, there are journalists who are based on the universal rules of the press instead of the rules of the government and that journalism that speaks against injustice will not allow the honor of being trampled, DFG noted that the journalists who struggle for unlawfulness and freedom celebrate the World Press Freedom Day on May 3."