Balkan journalists alarmed at erosion of press freedom
Anti-media regime in Ankara is an ominous signal for the Balkans also
19.12.2014
The last wave of arrests of journalists in Turkey is yet another testimony that the regime of President Erdogan refuses to tolerate media criticism and is on its way of a rapid consolidation of an authoritarian system. The arrest of our Turkish colleagues has rightly led to concern and indignation among journalists in the Balkans, a region that is linked to Turkey in numerous ways and where Turkey exerts a significant influence. The installment of an anti-media regime in Ankara is an ominous signal not only for Turkey, but for the whole region.
We express our solidarity to our Turkish colleagues. It is not the Turkish journalists that are acting against democracy, as the Prime Minister Davutoglu said, but it is rather the Turkish government that is undermining the foundations of the Turkish democracy, by attacking media freedom, as one of the cornerstones of democracy.
Freedom of speech in essence is freedom after speech. Is this still possible in Turkey today? Is it still possible to state your opinion and not feel threatened? The recent arrests indicate this is not the case. Turkey is moving backwards and this is bad news not only for Turkey, but for all of us.
* Remzi Lani is Director of Albanian Media Institute. He is SEENPM and SEE Media Observatory Board Member.