US Statement on Arrest of Berberoğlu: We’re Concerned

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In response to a question about the arrest of Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Enis Berberoğlu, US Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert has said in a press briefing:

“We’re still trying to gather information on that case of the jailed opposition politician. We’re concerned about the greater pattern of what we see as Turkish official actions that we believe appear to target people whose views differ from the views of certain members of the government.

“So that’s an area of concern, and that’s something that we just continue to talk to that government about”.

Freedom of the media and freedom of expression

In response to a question stating that there are over 170 jailed journalists, more than a dozen MPs in the jail, Nauert said:

“To your first point about the jailing of reporters, we continue to talk about this, and that is freedom of expression. We believe in freedom of speech and freedom of the media, even speech that some nations and some leaders find to be uncomfortable.

“So that’s something that the United States will continue to push for. We believe that that strengthens democracy and that that needs to be protected, whether it’s in Turkey or in other nations as well. And we continue just to urge the Turkish Government to respect and ensure freedom of expression, fair trials, a judicial independence, and other human rights and functional freedoms.

“So we continue to say that to them”. (YY/TK)