Türkiye not only suppresses anti -government protests, but also silences the media. “We are punished for doing our work”

He was in the heart of events and reported the largest anti -government protests for over decades, which broke out in Turkey over a week ago after the arrest of the opposition mayor of Istanbul. Turkish authorities did not like it. BBC Mark Lowen correspondent was detained by local services.

“Mark is a very experienced correspondent. He has a lot of knowledge about Turkey. No journalist should be treated in this way for performing his work. We will still be impartial and thoroughly reporting events in Turkey,” commented Deborah Turness, CEO of the BBC News.

See also: A panic explosion during the protest

According to the BBC, the journalist was arrested at the Hotel in Istanbul. For 17 hours he was to be kept by Turkish services. On Thursday morning, the reporter received a written notification that he would be deported for “emerging a threat to public order”.

“Being detained and deported from a country where I once lived for 5 years and which I like great is extremely depressing. The freedom of the press and impartial reporting are the basis of every democracy,” said Mark Lowen.

It is widely known that Türkiye suppresses freedom of speech and all manifestations of reluctance to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in power for over 20 years. Turkish public television avoids talking about anti -government protests, during which about 2,000 people were detained, including journalists.

– Those who terrorize our streets and want to change our country in a place filled with chaos, have nowhere to go. The road they chose is a blind street – emphasizes the President of Turkey.

All media are under the magnifying glass of the government. When protests broke out, the authorities limited access to social media. On Platform X belonging to Elon Musk, several hundred accounts were suspended, which, according to the Turkish authorities, published content inciting hatred.

See also: “Almost last chance”. On the streets of “Existential fight”

According to Politico, most of the accounts belonged to activists who informed about protests. About 90 percent of the Turkish media are under government control. Four broadcasters of the opposition were fined for the reporting of thousands of protests.

– We are punished for reporting, for giving voice to people in the streets, for transmitting protests. It doesn't make sense. We are punished for doing our work – says Ozgur Cakmakci, editor -in -chief of the SZC TV station.

The SCZ TV station has received a ten -day ban on broadcasting, with the Turkish Supreme Council for Radio and Television warned that the sender may receive a concession.

– I cannot imagine that in any Western democracy the television channel is closed for ten days for reporting the protests. Journalists were accused of bias. It's unacceptable – says Ragip style with Middle East Eye.

The scale of the imamogle, recognized as the president's main rival, was arrested on charges of corruption, which he does not admit. Supporters of the mayor of Istanbul and the opposition say that his detention is political. The government regularly denies this, ensuring that the courts are independent.

– Our greatest wish, especially in the context of our European friends, is the approach to this issue with common sense and respect for the law that applies in our country – emphasizes the Minister of Justice Turkey Yılmaz Tunc.

– We all know how Turkey has changed in the last 75 years, but the systematic nature of the persecution of the opposition and representatives of civil society, attacks on freedom of speech and gatherings, the arrest and arrest of the mayor of Istanbul are violations, which from the perspective of a specific idea of ​​the Turkish state and his relationship with Europe are worthy of regret – believes Emmanuel Macron, the president of France.

In last year's index of the freedom of the press, prepared by reporters without borders, Türkiye was 158. The low position in the ranking was the result of censorship and prison of journalists.