Turkey: CFWIJ Welcomes The Ecthr's Verdict On Journalist Banu Güven
Location: Turkey
Date: May 4, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in violation of the journalist Banu Güven’s application of the ban on the Parliamentary Investigation Commission established after Turkey’s corruption scandal. The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the ECtHR’s decision, taking into account press freedom. We demand the decision be a precedent for the Turkish legal system.
The ECtHR ruled a violation of freedom of expression on the application of journalist Banu Güven, stated that the ban on reporting on the Parliamentary Investigation Commission, which was established to investigate the allegations against the ministers Erdoğan Bayraktar, Mehmet Zafer Çağlayan, Egemen Bağış and Muammer Güler, after the 17-25 December corruption scandal. In addition, the ECtHR decided to pay Banu a compensation of 1500 Euros.
The journalist took her Twitter account to announce the verdict. She said, “After 17/25 December, the Parliamentary Investigation Commission was established for four ministers' right, corruption and bribery allegations, but they were forbidden to report them.” “The ECtHR decided that this was a violation of rights upon my application! Press freedom won," she included.
The academicians Kerem Altıparmak and Yaman Akdeniz, who also applied on the same subject, were rejected by a majority vote. Making a statement on his Twitter account, Kerem Altıparmak said, “First of all, let's congratulate Banu Güven. When we applied, we planned that the situation of a journalist might be separate from the two academics, and the result turned out to be that." Kerem Altıparmak also emphasized that there should be no difference between the journalist and the human rights defender regarding the verdict against them.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the decision on journalist Banu Güven. We believe the verdict should set a precedent for practices that compromise press freedom and freedom of expression. We demand the Turkish authorities end their oppressive practices against journalists, and we reiterate once again that freedom of expression and press freedom is the fundamental right of a journalist. Journalism is a public right, cannot be prevented.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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