28 Mar 2017 | News, Turkey, Turkey Uncensored
[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”87772″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Semih Poroy left the Istanbul University Law School to devote himself to the world of cartoons. His first works appeared in Akbaba (The Condor), Turkey’s oldest humour magazine, in 1975.
In 1988 he became a full-time member of the daily Cumhuriyet, to which he had been submitting as a freelancer since 1977. His comic strip Harbi has been running in this newspaper since 1989. For the last ten years he has been drawing the full-page Feklavye, a satire of the literary world, for Cumhuriyet’s book supplement.
In addition to many articles on cartoons and humour published in art and culture periodicals, Poroy has five published cartoon collections (the last ones in 2008: Feklavye and Ohne Worte).
Poroy was elected as the chairman of the Cartoonists Society of Turkey in 1984 at the national cartoonists congress.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Turkey Uncensored is an Index on Censorship project to publish a series of articles from censored Turkish writers, artists and translators.
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27 Mar 2017 | Mapping Media Freedom, News, Turkey, Turkey Uncensored
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Özkan Mayda, a former sports journalist for Zaman, has been imprisoned in Turkey.
Özkan Mayda, an Antalya-based photojournalist for the Zaman daily, was arrested in the wake of the 15 July attempted coup in Turkey. He is just one of the over 150 journalists currently in jail in the country.
Counter-terrorism police in the southern province detained Mayda on 23 July 2016. He has been in detention for 247 days.
Zaman was among the more than 100 newspapers, broadcasters, news agencies, and magazines the Turkish government ordered closed using emergency powers assumed after the failed coup.
This month, Mayda’s mother, Memnune Mayda, wrote to Index on Censorship.
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
I hope you’re well.
I am the mother of imprisoned sports journalist Özkan Mayda from Antalya in Turkey. You have published articles on Turkey’s imprisoned journalists.
My son said to me: “Mother, please write a thank you e-mail.” So thank you for your support and solidarity with Turkish journalists. Thank you for not having left us alone. Europe and the world should know that we want solidarity and support. We believe that something will change here but solidarity and support are very important to journalists in Turkey.
I lived in the city of Aachen in Germany from 1975-1984. I had to come back because my family made a decision to return. Then I got married and here I stayed. I have only one child. My husband is retired and I do not work.
I will briefly tell you about my son. Özkan was born on 22 April 1985 in Erzincan, Turkey. As a photojournalist he was Zaman newspaper’s Antalya region sports correspondent and also did page layout.
Zaman was taken over by the state on 13 April 2016. Özkan lost his job and was left unemployed.
A week after the 15 July coup attempt, he was taken into custody. My son has been detained since 23 July 2016. They have accused my son of treason.
Would a mother and father raise a single child to be a traitor? Our only child is definitely not a traitor. We have two lawyers, but they can’t do anything.
We are tired now. We are exhausted. We are weak. We are afraid and we are very worried.
My son Özkan has been detained for 247 days.
Let us all together, let us free them from prison.
Best regards,
Memnune Mayda[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]
Turkey Uncensored is an Index on Censorship project to publish a series of articles from censored Turkish writers, artists and translators.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1490624646444-7f0a6bbf-d67e-6″ taxonomies=”8607″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
20 Mar 2017 | News, Turkey, Turkey Uncensored
[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”86224″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Semih Poroy left the Istanbul University Law School to devote himself to the world of cartoons. His first works appeared in Akbaba (The Condor), Turkey’s oldest humour magazine, in 1975.
In 1988 he became a full-time member of the daily Cumhuriyet, to which he had been submitting as a freelancer since 1977. His comic strip Harbi has been running in this newspaper since 1989. For the last ten years he has been drawing the full-page Feklavye, a satire of the literary world, for Cumhuriyet’s book supplement.
In addition to many articles on cartoons and humour published in art and culture periodicals, Poroy has five published cartoon collections (the last ones in 2008: Feklavye and Ohne Worte).
Poroy was elected as the chairman of the Cartoonists Society of Turkey in 1984 at the national cartoonists congress.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Turkey Uncensored is an Index on Censorship project to publish a series of articles from censored Turkish writers, artists and translators.
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15 Mar 2017 | Campaigns, Campaigns -- Featured, Statements, Turkey, Turkey Statements
JOINT ORAL STATEMENT ON THE DETERIORATION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND MEDIA FREEDOM IN TURKEY
UN Human Rights Council 34th Special Session
Item 4: Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
15 March 2017
Mr President,
Index on Censorship, PEN International, ARTICLE 19 and 65 organisations are deeply concerned by the continuous deterioration of freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey following the violent and contemptible coup attempt on 15 July 2016.
Over 180 news outlets have been shut down under laws passed by presidential decree following the imposition of a state of emergency. There are now at least 148 writers, journalists and media workers in prison, including Ahmet Şık, Kadri Gürsel, Ahmet and Mehmet Altan, Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak and İnan Kızılkaya, making Turkey the biggest jailer of journalists in the world. The Turkish authorities are abusing the state of emergency by severely restricting fundamental rights and freedoms, stifling criticism and limiting the diversity of views and opinions available in the public sphere.
Restrictions have reached new heights in the lead up to a crucial referendum on constitutional reforms, which would significantly increase executive powers, set for 16 April 2017. The Turkish authorities’ campaign has been marred by threats, arrests and prosecutions of those who have voiced criticism of the proposed amendments. Several members of the opposition have been arrested on terror charges. Thousands of public employees, including hundreds of academics and opponents to the constitutional reforms, were dismissed in February. Outspoken “No” campaigners have been detained, adding to the overall climate of suspicion and fear. The rights to freedom of expression and information, essential to fair and free elections, are in jeopardy.
In the run-up to the referendum, the need for media pluralism is more important than ever. Voters have the right to be duly informed and to be provided with comprehensive information on all views, including dissenting voices, in sufficient time. The prevailing atmosphere should be one of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. There should be no fear of reprisals.
We urge this Council, its members and observer states, to call on the Turkish authorities to:
- Guarantee equal broadcasting time for all parties and allow for the dissemination of all information to the maximum extent possible in order to ensure that voters are fully informed;
- Put an end to the climate of suspicion and fear by:
- Immediately releasing all those held in prison for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression;
- Ending the prosecutions and detention of journalists simply on the basis of the content of their journalism or alleged affiliations;
- Halting executive interference with independent news organisations including in relation to editorial decisions, dismissals of journalists and editors, pressure and intimidation against critical news outlets and journalists;
- Revoke the excessively broad provisions under the state of emergency, the application of which, in practice, are incompatible with Turkey’s human rights obligations.
Thank you Mr. President
ActiveWatch – Media Monitoring Agency
Adil Soz – International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech
Albanian Media Institute
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain
ARTICLE 19
Association of European Journalists
Basque PEN
Brazilian Association for Investigative Journalism
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Cartoonists Rights Network International
Center for Independent Journalism – Hungary
Croatian PEN centre
Danish PEN
Digital Rights Foundation
English PEN
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
European Federation of Journalists
Finnish PEN
Foro de Periodismo Argentino
German PEN
Global Editors Network
Gulf Centre for Human Rights
Human rights watch
Icelandic PEN
Independent Chinese PEN Center
Independent Journalism Center – Moldova
Index on Censorship
Institute for Media and Society
International Press Institute
International Publishers Association
Journaliste en danger
Media Foundation for West Africa
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Media Watch
MYMEDIA
Nigeria PEN Centre
Norwegian PEN
Pacific Islands News Association
Pakistan Press Foundation
Palestine PEN
PEN American Center
PEN Austria
PEN Canada
PEN Català
PEN Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina
PEN Centre of German-Speaking Writers Abroad
PEN Eritrea in exile
PEN Esperanto
PEN Estonia
PEN France
PEN International
PEN Melbourne
PEN Myanmar
PEN Romania
PEN Suisse Romand
PEN Trieste
Portuguese PEN Centre
Punto24
Reporters Without Borders
Russian PEN Centre
San Miguel PEN
Serbian PEN Centre
Social Media Exchange – SMEX
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
South East European Network for Professionalization of Media
Vigilance pour la Démocratie et l’État Civique
Wales PEN Cymru
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WANIFRA)
