Basın-Sen: Journalism Is Not A Crime, Truth Cannot Be Imprisoned!

In its written statement, the union said the bill was passed into law despite all objections, stressing that the provisions related to the presumption of innocence are contrary to European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) case law and constitute a violation of freedom of expression.

Basın-Sen stated that warnings made both by the union and the Media Ethics Board during the committee stage were ignored, and that the public’s right to information had been disregarded.

The statement claimed that under the new regulation, journalists are being exposed to the threat of imprisonment even for routine court reporting, calling this unacceptable.

The union noted that the law effectively criminalizes the use of names and photographs in reporting on judicial proceedings of public interest, particularly those involving public figures.

It argued that this amounts to an attempt to prevent the reporting of allegations of corruption, misconduct, and bribery, and said the regulation serves the purpose of “hiding the truth” and “blinding the public.”

Basın-Sen described the law as a “law to silence media workers” and announced that it will continue its legal and democratic struggle against the criminalization of journalism.

The statement also said the union would oppose any initiatives related to criminal and cyber laws, and criticized the disregard of European Court of Human Rights rulings.

The statement concluded with the words: “Journalism is not a crime, truth cannot be imprisoned,” and called on the public to take a stand.