OSCE media freedom representative Désir calls for release of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi staff, following police raid on newspaper’s offices in Turkey

VIENNA, 29 March 2018 – The closure of the Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper and appointing a trustee to head it is a major attack on the independence of this media outlet and another setback to media pluralism in Turkey, said Harlem Désir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today following yesterday’s police raid on the newspaper’s office.

On 28 March the central office of the Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper and its printing house in Istanbul were raided by the police. Officials from the Saving Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) informed the paper’s attorneys that a trustee was appointed to head the newspaper and its printing house. Twenty-one have been taken into custody and reportedly all face terrorism charges.

The Representative addressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu regarding his concerns over the raid on the newspaper’s offices.

“I insist that journalists should not be accused of terrorism for their journalistic activities,” Désir said. “I therefore call for the release of the detained staff of the media outlet and of the printing house, the dismissal of the charges against them, and for the respect of the independence of the Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper.”

“I remain convinced that a pluralistic media environment, protective of freedom of expression, does not weaken but contributes to the strength of a society facing security challenges,” he added.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.