Press Union Criticizes Privacy Law: "Journalists Face Imprisonment"

Basın Sen argued that despite all warnings, journalists are facing imprisonment under the law titled "Privacy of Private Life".

The statement emphasized that the detention and trial of Serdinç Maypa, who operates a personal social media account, on similar charges, highlights the dangers posed by the aforementioned law. It was noted that what concerns them the most, regardless of the allegations against Maypa or the incidents he is said to be involved in, is the use of such laws for arbitrary arrests and trials.

The statement expressed deep concern about the concealment of information, the departure from transparency, and the mysterious nature of events, making it difficult for the public to understand what is happening.

The statement read:

"As advocates of not only journalists' but also all individuals' freedoms, we do not accept operations targeting individuals under the guise of police structures whose purposes are veiled. While we advocate for publications to be made in accordance with the ethical principles of our profession, we never condone attitudes to the contrary and advocate for legal action to be taken if there is evidence of a crime resulting from defamation or tampering with obtained documents, apart from politicians. However, the way to address this is not by setting traps with a despotic understanding but by initiating a legal process based on evidence and documents, and demanding a transparent trial in court."

The Press Union's statement also addressed the issue of bringing workers into the country, stating that only the state is authorized to bring in workers, and any other means of bringing in workers is considered a crime according to the law. It concluded with the assertion: "We have no doubt that our judiciary will take the necessary action against whoever has committed this crime."