Muslims don’t…

I was desperately looking for something positive about Turkey in the press.

I failed to find anything, but wanted to share this article, commenting on the Prime Minister’s various speeches.  Not only this article,  but the comments that follow serve to underline the nonsense that is going on here – one comment talked about “the bridge to the twelfth century”.  My sentiments exactly.

I’ll let you know as soon as something good happens.

Muslims don’t… – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

Still no youtube in Turkey

I thought I’d just check to see if I could access youtube.com, but that is still not possible in Turkey … it’s still banned …

http://www.ihbarweb.org.tr

Political pressure on Turkish press

Turkey, once again, features in reports regarding freedom of the press – or lack of it.  A recent report for the RSF Worldwide Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF),  shows Turkey has slipped 20 places from its position last year, and now ranks at number 122, in a survey of 175 countries.

This report, prepared by the world’s leading press watchdog advocating freedom of the press, has contributed to the numerous comments on  Dogan Media Holding and the two tax-related procedures that have been opened against it.  The Dogan Group is a leading national media group which publishes the daily Hurriyet newspaper, amongst other publications.

Bans on internet sites such as YouTube, (which has been banned since May 2008), the pending court cases  against Facebook,  Google Sites and other sites, and censorship of media that support minorities, have also affected this slide in the perceived freedom of the press in Turkey.

The EU is following these events closely, as the Commission’s 2009 Progress Report shows.  This report, published on 14 October 2009, states,

“Overall, there is an increasingly open and free debate in Turkish society, including on issues traditionally perceived as sensitive. Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code is no longer used systematically to restrict freedom of expression. However, there are prosecutions and convictions based on a number of other articles of the criminal Code. Turkish law does not sufficiently guarantee freedom of expression in line with the ECHR and the ECtHR case law.  Political pressures on the media and legal uncertainties affect freedom of the press in practice.”   http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2009/tr_rapport_2009_en.pdf

Turkey is maintaining a desire to become part of the EU, with no “special partnership” role.  At a recent seminar in Ankara, Ambassador Marc Pierini, Head of the European Commission Delegation to Turkey,  said, ” A genuine democracy can only flourish with the full implementation of freedom of expression and freedom of the media. “

Expat website banned in Turkey

Really at a loss to understand what the Turkish government hopes to gain by shutting down these websites.  Do they really feel so threatened?  Is this an effort to control absolutely everything?    How can an expat site be a threat?  Or is it the expats themselves that they have in their sights?  What or who is next?

English :: Seventh Website Ban within One Month – Bianet

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PRESSed into SILENCE

At least two of the news articles from Turkish law courts today highlight how difficult it can be to have a voice.

The  cartoonist, Ozdabak,  is on trial for publishing a political caricature.  He faces two years of imprisonment.

Nine Human Rights activists have received sentences of one year each, for participating in a press release, which criticised a death that occurred during a police operation.

Freedom of speech?  In Turkey?  It would appear not.