ANKARA - HDP MP Serpil Kemalbay, who demanded a parliamentary inquiry into the increasing attacks on press workers, said: ‘’The increasing pressure on journalists threatens the freedom to receive information, the right to life, and the freedom of the press is violated.’

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The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir MP Serpil Kemalbay Pekgözegü submitted a question to the Speaker’s Office and a petition to the Human Rights Investigation Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey regarding the violence that directly targets journalists and has become systematic.

 

‘Attackers are encouraged’

 

As a result of the use of a political language that polarizes the society in the country, the following statements were included in the question, which stated that the press workers working for the purpose of informing the public accurately and impartially were also the target of direct attacks: ‘’While press workers are rendered incapable of breathing by pressing their necks, the lawsuits filed by simplifying the attacks, the trials returning to the practice of impunity and the absence of an effective investigation system almost encourage the attackers. After the attacks, either the perpetrator of the incident remains unknown or the attackers are released. While the double standard of the judiciary punishes what is said to the members of power, their ignorance of the attacks on those with oppositional attitudes undermines the trust in the judiciary in the society.’’

 

‘Not the attackers, but the journalists were detained’

 

In the question listing the attacks against journalists and the imposition of spying, it was pointed out that journalists were detained during the attacks, not the perpetrators. The question continued: ‘’Protecting journalists in a country where many journalists are subjected to many attacks, including physical attacks, is a requirement of the rule of law and democracy. In this context; Practices that violate the European Convention on Human Rights, the Constitution, the prohibition of torture, the Principles adopted by the United Nations, and freedom of press and expression; It is essential to establish a parliamentary investigation commission to end the impunity policies and to punish the perpetrators of violence by taking measures against the impunity policy being implemented against the law enforcement officers and aggressive groups who use violence against the press workers who follow the news.’’

 

Petition to the Commission

 

In the petition submitted to the Human Rights Investigation Commission of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the same demands were listed and necessary works were requested to end the violations of rights against journalists and to punish the perpetrators.