DIYARBAKIR - Only Kurdish newspaper in Turkey Welat Newspaper cannot be printed because trustees have been appointed to Özgürlükçü Demokrasi Newspaper and Gün Printing House. Publisher Welat newspaper Zeynel Bulut said they would continue to report through internet.

 

Only Kurdish newspaper in Turkey Welat Newspaper cannot be printed since trustees were appointed to Özgürlükçü Demokrasi Newspaper and Gün Printing House. The newspaper contacted to other printings houses but the newspaper wasn’t printed due to pressure and threats on the printing houses. The employees of Welat newspaper held a press conference at the office of Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS) in Diyarbakır. Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Sibel Yiğitalp, Co-chairs of the HDP Diyarbakır organization, spokesperson of the Free Journalists Initiative (ÖGİ), representatives of NGOs and the journalists working in the region attended the conference. Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS) Diyarbakır representative Mahmut Oral spoke during the conference and said that the people wake up new pressure and intimidation operation in Turkey every day.

 

‘Not an ordinary development’

 

Pointing out that the media is being targeted by policies of the ruling power in order to shape the society, Mahmut emphasized that trustees have been appointed to Özgürlükçü Demokrasi Newspaper and Gün Printing House by launching an operation unprecedented in democracy of the world. Mahmut mentioned the handover of Doğan Group and said, “All newspapers and channels of Doğan Group comprising of mainstream media of Turkey were sold to Demirören Group. This sale transaction is a handover operation that controlled by ruling power.”

 

Saying that the journalism will go on despite the pressures, Mahmut demanded all jailed journalists to be released.

 

‘We will continue to report’

 

Publisher Welat newspaper Zeynel Bulut said the pressure on their newspaper was against Kurdish language and culture. Zeynel said, “Our newspaper isn’t printed due to fear. “It’s beyond us,” said everyone we talked to. The owner of the printing house said they faced threats and didn’t print our newspaper. We will continue to report. From now on, we will continue to report through internet.”