Author Topic: May Day Quiz Time  (Read 2027 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
May Day Quiz Time
« on: May 02, 2014, 00:05:07 AM »
Q: What do Serbia, Kuwait, Columbia and Nicaragua all have in common?

A: They all have greater press freedom than Turkey.


The latest Press Freedom Rankings issued by the US based organisation Freedom House now have Turkey slipping down a very unpleasant slope - both HDN and TZ reported on this today, and the reasons cited within the report itself are unsurprising.   

For those that are interested, these are a few excerpts that relate to Turkey.

Attacking the messenger: Journalists’ ability to cover breaking news came under particular threat in 2013, as those who attempted to report on protest movements in a number of key countries faced physical harassment and even targeted attacks designed to prevent them from documenting these important stories. In Ukraine, several dozen journalists covering the Euromaidan protests were attacked in early December.

Numerous cases were reported in Turkey and Egypt, and to a lesser extent in Brazil, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Jordan, and Uganda. Special protection for members of the press can be difficult to uphold when demonstrations turn violent, and it has become more challenging as the boundaries between accredited journalists, citizen journalists, and civic activists become increasingly blurry. However, the direct targeting of those who were engaged in covering protests during the year was a key factor behind media freedom declines in many countries.

Controlling content via ownership: Economic factors can also play a key role in restricting media independence and diversity, as seen in the impact of ownership changes on editorial content. During the year, press freedom was threatened by new owners at key outlets in a range of countries, including Turkey, Ukraine, and Venezuela. In some cases, the transaction itself was opaque. In others, the new owners—particularly those with close connections to governments or ruling parties—altered editorial lines or dismissed outspoken staff.

In Turkey, dozens of journalists were forced from their jobs in apparent connection with their coverage of politically sensitive issues like negotiations between the government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Gezi Park protests, or official corruption scandals. Several high-profile dismissals occurred at Milliyet, a newspaper recently acquired by the Demirören Group, which is sympathetic to the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, while others took place at Sabah, which had been sold in 2011 to a company led by Erdoğan’s son-in-law.

Regional Findings: The region’s largest numerical change occurred in Turkey, which declined from 56 to 62 points and moved from Partly Free to Not Free. Constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press and expression are only partially upheld in practice, undermined by restrictive provisions in the criminal code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Turkey remained the world’s leading jailer of journalists in 2013, with 40 behind bars as of December 1, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The press freedom climate deteriorated sharply during the year as journalists were harassed and assaulted while attempting to cover the Gezi Park protests that broke out in Istanbul in May, and dozens were fired or forced to resign in response to sympathetic coverage of the protesters’ demands. Other prominent journalists were fired due to their coverage of sensitive issues like negotiations between the government and the PKK or the corruption scandals involving Prime Minister Erdoğan and his associates that emerged in December. The firings highlighted the close relationship between the government and many media owners, and the formal and informal pressure that this places on journalists.

If anyone wants to read the full report, its here.

JF



Offline usedbustickets

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2859
  • Age: 68
  • Institute for the hard of understanding
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2014, 07:35:21 AM »
Thanks John.  No great surprises in anything here, but it does cover the issues well, in particular how Turkey as an aspiring Euro state still ranks amongst the worst in the world on important areas of press and personal liberty.

Offline Marggie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1402
  • Age: 78
  • Location: Fethiye/Lancashire
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2014, 09:07:13 AM »
Turkey will never be in the EU.  Erdoğan has only contempt for The West and its people.  He has had a tidy sum of money form the EU and it is time it was withdrawn.  He has no intention of improving human rights or complying with rules of entry.  He is looking to The East - what part could a country that is regressing play in the EU?  Very sad and worrying.

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2014, 11:50:46 AM »
I've always been an opponent to Turkey joining the EU and fully believe that the vast majority of politicians in Ankara feel the same way.  They are prepared to pay lip service to the Accession Chapters, especially when huge chunks of EU money are involved (shoeboxes optional), but there are so many cultural and political differences that completion of all chapters is impossible without a radical change of outlook.  Turkey first applied to join what is now the EU in 1959 - they've been at it for 55yrs and I think it'll take another 55yrs for them to reach the required standards, especially in respect of basic human rights and especially, womens rights (not to be beaten by their husbands with impunity and married off at 12yrs old come to mind).

In recent times we've seen this government forge alliances to the east and south of Turkey, look at the reduction of visa requirements and relaxation of land buy laws targeting those from somewhat more pious countries than the alcoholic, homosexual loving west...

I suppose we're lucky the Muslim Brotherhood now seem to be discredited as a political force by more than one country, I think Erdogan was looking towards it as being a vehicle for some great muslim alliance, especially between Turkey and Egypt for a while.

JF

Offline cef

  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4624
  • Location: United Kingdom
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2014, 13:48:44 PM »
There 'was' some hope that President Gul (usually perceived as more moderate...) would stem or slow the ever increasing extreme powers RTE wants & wouldn't sign the MIT bill, sadly he didn't procrastinate at all & signed it with alarming alacrity!  One can only hope that some of those currently in power are taking note of what is now happening to the extreme arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, before it's too late & Turkey plunges further into civil disarray.

"The new legislation, adopted last week by parliament after heated debates, provides expanded scope for the MIT agency to tap private phone conversations and collect intelligence related to terrorism and international crimes.

It also offers spy agents greater immunity from prosecution and provides for prison terms of up to 10 years for journalists and others who publish leaked information.

One of the most controversial articles of the bill stipulates that any citizen who failed to provide a document or information that the MiT requested will be tried and can be sentenced to up to four years in prison."

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-spy-agency-granted-extraordinary-powers-as-president-gul-approves-mit-law-.aspx?PageID=238&NID=65584&NewsCatID=338


Offline kevin3

  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4419
  • Location: United Kingdom
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2014, 16:33:25 PM »
And today the government has dismissed all charges against the 60 suspects rounded up on the 17th December.

Reported in todays Hurriet Daily News.        >:( >:(

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2014, 16:53:21 PM »
Not unexpected Kevin, given the state of the judiciary in Turkey now.

JF

Offline kevin3

  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4419
  • Location: United Kingdom
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2014, 19:35:47 PM »
John, if you're in a position to say, what is the feeling among the sector you are in contact
with on the ground.? I can only see things getting far worse fairly quickly. Do they see any
hope on the horizon.?

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: May Day Quiz Time
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2014, 22:09:08 PM »
As of 15th May I can say what I effin well want - without fear of professional retribution.    And if any law firms are looking for an....

 :)

JF




Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf