- Title: Journalists protest against Turkey's shutdown of TV channels
- Date: 4th October 2016
- Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (OCTOBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF CROWD SHOUTING SLOGANS IN TAKSIM SQUARE VARIOUS OF POLICE WATER CANNONS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HOLDING UP SIGNS AND SHOUTING (Turkish): "WE STAND TOGETHER AGAINST FASCISM" AND "FREE MEDIA CANNOT BE SILENCED" (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH JOURNALIST, UGUR AYTAC, SAYING: "The days when all opposing channels and voices are silenced awaits us. Today, 23 television channels were closed, tomorrow there might be 15 more. After this, we will be forced to watch only one channel, like in the 80s and 90s. And those channels will be used by the government for their own propaganda. We won't let that happen. We will raise our voices. If they close down one channel we will open up five more. We will keep fighting for freedom, for democracy, for press freedom and for freedom of speech." (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) IMC TV EDITOR, FARUK EREN, SAYING: "Journalists will find a way to show this country's reality to the people. Every day, journalists come together to discuss what to do on their social media platforms. I'm sure a solution to keep journalism alive will be found." PROTESTERS APPLAUDING PROTESTERS SHOUTING SLOGANS PROTESTERS LEAVING AT END OF PROTEST
- Embargoed: 19th October 2016 20:13
- Keywords: Turkey security media protest police raid TV station
- Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- City: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA00152LDG7B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkish journalists took to the streets near Taksim Square in Istanbul on Tuesday evening (October 4) following the closure of over 20 television and radio stations on charges they spread "terrorist propaganda".
Protesters chanted slogans demanding that "free media cannot be silenced", while some held banners showing the logo of IMC TV, whose offices were raided by police earlier in the day.
"The days when all opposing channels and voices are silenced awaits us. Today, 23 television channels were closed, tomorrow there might be 15 more. After this, we will be forced to watch only one channel, like in the 80s and 90s. And those channels will be used by the government for their own propaganda. We won't let that happen. We will raise our voices. If they close down one channel we will open up five more. We will keep fighting for freedom, for democracy, for press freedom and for freedom of speech," said one Turkish journalist, Ugur Aytac.
Among the 12 channels that have been closed are Govend TV, which plays folk music, and Zarok TV, which airs Kurdish-language children's cartoons. A government decree, issued last week, also ordered the closure of 11 radio stations for "harming national security".
Since a coup attempt on July 15, President Tayyip Erdogan has taken unprecedented steps to rid state institutions of staff deemed disloyal or potential enemies.
About 100,000 people in the military, civil service, police, judiciary and universities have been sacked or suspended from their jobs, and 32,000 have been arrested. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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