ANKARA -  TGS Ankara Branch President Esra Koçak Mayda, who filed a criminal complaint regarding Ankara Police's interventions against journalists working in the field, stated that they will continue to fight for journalists doing their jobs and to deliver news to the public.

 

Turkey Journalists' Union (TGS) Ankara Branch held a press release in front of the Ankara Courthouse. TGS Ankara Branch President Esra Koçak Mayda said that the police uses verbal and physical violence against journalists working the field. 

 

IT'S WIDESPREAD AND SYSTEMATIC

 

Pointing out that they filed a criminal complaint at the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Mayda said: "We are filing a criminal complaint on behalf of our members and our friends working in the field that conveyed their grievences to us. Journalists follow stories in the field for people's right to recieve news. Journalism is public service. They are there on behalf of their institutions. We can easily say that this is a violation of human's rights and this practice of the Ankara Police Department is systematic and widespread."

 

'WE WILL KEEP FIGHTING'

 

Stating that these attempts to obstruct the right to receive news and freedom of expression are against the constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), Mayda said: "Police officer push our friends around asking them who they are, preventing them from recording, or they prevent them from seeing and recording the incident with their shields. Article 28 of the Constitution states that "The press is free and cannot be censored" and the state is also obliged to guarantee the freedom of expression of the press. As TGS, we have considered it our duty to be with our colleagues and prevent them from being harmed by the violence of the police. We will keep fighting against this."