Mr. Barry White:

I first visited Turkey in 2002 as part of a mission from the IFJ and the EFJ to that country. The purpose of the mission was to examine the professional conditions, including limitations to press freedom, and social conditions of journalists in Turkey. This led to further discussions with our affiliate in Turkey, which at that time was the Journalist’s Union of Turkey, known as the TGS. This eventually led to the establishment in 2010 of the Setting Journalism Free in Turkey project. Since that time, I have visited Turkey on 11 occasions as an observer for the IFJ and the EFJ at a number of trials of journalists and in support of the development of trade union organisation in the media sector.

On 15 and 16 July last, Turkey experienced a bloody coup attempt which killed more than 250 people and targeted democratic institutions like the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which is the Parliament in Ankara. The coup attempt was unreservedly condemned by the IFJ and the EFJ. Mustafa Cambaz, who was a photojournalist with a Turkish daily newspaper, was killed during the failed coup. According to his newspaper, he died of a gunshot to the head when soldiers opened fire on crowds in a neighbourhood of Istanbul in the early hours of Saturday, 16 July. The coup attempt was followed by a state of emergency and, in our view, excessive and indiscriminate measures to purge all individuals believed to be connected to it.

The Turkish authorities have been and are continuing to arrest and jail journalists, shut down radio and TV channels and censor the Internet in an attempt to silence criticism. According to the IFJ, as of 21 October last, a total of 90 journalists were in jail and more than 130 media outlets had been banned since the failed coup. Approximately 2,500 journalists have lost their jobs and arrest warrants have been issued for dozens of journalists and media workers. Some families of journalists who are in hiding or have fled the country have been arrested in an attempt to force them to return and give themselves up to the authorities. In response, media workers, journalists and press freedom campaigners throughout the world have joined protests calling for the release of jailed journalists in Turkey. Our slogan is "press freedom is essential for democracy". We demand that Turkey sets the journalists free because journalism is not a crime.

The EFJ and the IFJ have been monitoring the situation regarding detained and arrested journalists and press freedom violations since 15 July. We are continuing to work with the Council of Europe platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. As part of our campaign, we have provided support to our affiliates in Turkey who are fighting to maintain their rights and freedoms every day. We have assisted with solidarity missions, provided financial support for those facing poverty or oppression and have sent observers to trials. The briefing material we have furnished to the committee contains a reference to a page on the IFJ website which provides further details in this regard.

We continue to lobby national and international institutions to demand the release of all journalists and the re-opening of media. IFJ-affiliated unions have lobbied Turkish embassies in their countries and raised the issue with government Ministers. Such visits have taken place in Dublin and London this summer, organised by the National Union of Journalists, where issues of serious concern were raised. More activities are being planned, some together with like-minded organisations including the European Trade Union Confederation, Reporters without Borders, Index on Censorship, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists and others.

The IFJ and all its affiliated members remain committed to delivering professional and trade union solidarity to all journalists. Mr. Ronan Brady will outline to the committee the organisation's wider work in highlighting and countering threats to media freedom worldwide.