- Title: Embattled Turkish journalist continues fight for press freedom
- Date: 7th October 2016
- Summary: LEIPZIG, GERMANY (OCTOBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF MEDIA FOUNDATION JOURNALIST, CAN DUNDAR, ARRIVING / SHAKING HANDS VARIOUS OF DUNDAR TALKING VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) JOURNALIST, CAN DUNDAR, SAYING: "This prize is a message to the Turkish government. No regime has succeeded so far to gain legitimacy in the world community through oppression of the press. No regime that has oppressed the press has a lasting chance to survive. Because of that it is a punishment to the current government of Turkey." CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) JOURNALIST, CAN DUNDAR, SAYING (ON EU-TURKEY DEAL): "From the beginning we called it as a dirty deal because everybody knew, in fact, that it would not be possible, so giving Turks kind of visa liberalisation. And it was a lie, so it didn't work and it's frozen now. So the German government should of course negotiate with Turkey, but on the other hand, they had to meet with the opposition leaders for example, visit the journalists in jail or meet with the civil society leaders to get different oppositions about the other Turkey. There is another Turkey. Unfortunately they didn't do that and don't use it as a support to himself, so that was wrong. And I hope the German government knew it now and try to change it but it's a bit late now." VARIOUS OF GATHERING WITH BALLOONS FOR PRIZE CELEBRATION (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOURNALIST, CAN DUNDAR, SAYING (ON PRESS FREEDOM IN TURKEY): "So it depends on our struggle and our solidarity. If we can stand by together against the oppression, we can prevail. Otherwise there will be no freedom of expression and freedom of press in Turkey unfortunately. So that's why we have to struggle back." VARIOUS OF THE GATHERING RELEASING BALLOONS
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2016 15:09
- Keywords: Can Dundar Turkey Erdogan Syria arrest
- Location: LEIPZIG, GERMANY
- City: LEIPZIG, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001530AC7B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkish journalist Can Dundar was in Leipzig on Friday (October 7) to accept a prize from a German media foundation, after having been awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize last week.
The leading Turkish journalist was sentenced to six years for publishing state secrets involving Ankara's Syria operations.
Dundar warned the Turkish government that "no regime that has oppressed the press has a lasting chance to survive".
The journalist received the Sparkasse Media Foundation's award in Leipzig.
Dundar spent three months in jail during the trial on spy charges for publishing footage purporting to show the state intelligence agency taking weapons into Syria in 2014. He was found guilty of a lesser crime of revealing secrets in May.
The convictions sparked censure from rights groups and Western governments worried about worsening human rights in Turkey under President Tayyip Erdogan.
Dundar also criticised an agreement Turkey struck with the European Union in March to stem the refugee flow, in return for visa-free travel for Turks in the bloc.
Reports said that the EU is in uneasy talks on granting visa-free travel to Turkey, though both Ankara and Brussels now admit that will be delayed from a previous target date of October.
Dundar has since appealed the court ruling in Turkey. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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