FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA IN TURKEY

Motion Text

That this House is gravely concerned over reports of increasingly repressive treatment of journalists working for newspapers, websites and broadcasters in Turkey; notes that a recently published decree ordered the closure of 131 media organisations, including three news agencies, 16 television channels, 23 radio stations, 45 daily newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishing houses; further notes that, under the country's state of emergency, the authorities can hold suspects in detention without charge for 30 days, with journalists frequently detained without arrest warrants; and calls on the Government and the Council of Europe's Platform for the Protection of Journalists to raise these violations of press freedoms with the Turkish authorities.