The amending ‘law’ on ‘criminal procedure’, which provides for ‘fines’ against Turkish Cypriot journalists, was passed again on Monday night by the plenary of the ‘parliament’ in the north, with the votes of ‘MPs’ aligned with the ‘government’, despite having been previously referred back by the Turkish Cypriot leader.
The ‘law’, which initially provided for ‘imprisonment penalties’ for journalists who publish the names and photographs of ‘public’ persons who are ‘on trial’, passed through the competent ‘parliamentary committee’ without substantive changes, despite the referral.
The deputy head of the ‘parliamentary’ group of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Asım Akansoy, proposed the withdrawal of the article providing for prison sentences and fines for journalists. The proposal was rejected by the votes of the ‘MPs’ aligned with the ‘government.’
Subsequently, the ‘chair of the committee’ that examined the ‘law’, Yasemin Öztürk, proposed the withdrawal of the ‘imprisonment penalty’, while maintaining the act as an offence and imposing a fine of up to four minimum wages. The proposal was accepted by the ‘government’ MPs and the ‘law’ was ultimately approved.
Reacting, the Turkish Cypriot Press Union (Basın‑Sen) and the Journalists’ Association (KTGB) called on journalists not to comply with the ‘law,’ describing it as a "regressive intervention in press freedom."
In a joint statement, the two organisations said that the law was passed with the majority of the ‘government’ of the National Unity Party (UBP), the Democratic Party (DP) and the Rebirth Party (YDP), despite strong reactions from journalists, trade unions, political parties, legal professionals and civil society organisations.
"The removal of the prison sentence from the law, which was prepared in cooperation between the Turkish Cypriot bar association and the Ünal Üstel government, does not remove the threat posed by the regulation to freedom of thought, expression, the press and the public’s right to information," the statement said.
The two organisations stressed that "journalism is not a crime" and that "the right to information cannot be obstructed". As they noted, the problem is not only the ‘prison penalty’, but "the very mindset that seeks to keep journalists and society under pressure", adding that in place of the threat of imprisonment a regime is being left that will reinforce self‑censorship and target journalists.
In conclusion, Basın‑Sen and KTGB state that they will not accept any regulation aimed at restricting press freedom and call on journalists not to recognise the ‘law’ and to continue practising free journalism on issues of overriding public interest.
Source: CNA
