Journalists Protest with Black Bandages

Publicly known as RTUK (Higher Council of Radio and television) bill is just about to pass in the Parliament on the same day.

The journalists, who gathered at the association's Istanbul branch, wore black T-shirts and covered their eyes and mouths with black bandages.

Baris Yarkadas, the chair of the Association's Istanbul branch made a statement there and said that they opposed the bill because it will totally block press freedom.

Yarkadas highlighted these points in his speech:

*The new RTUK bill is being debated focusing on the subject of whether the media moguls will be able to freely bid in contracts. However, we know that the media owners in Turkey can already bid in any contract either themselves or through somebody else.

Journalists will not be able to report the truth

* The heavy fines foreseen in the law will totally strangle especially the regional Anatolian and opposition media organizations and silence them.

* We have covered our eyes and mouths today with black bandages to demonstrate that, when the parliament passes this bill, the journalists will not be able to report the realities and the society will not be able to see the truth.

* So much that even reporting that the "inflation will not go down" will be subjected to punishment.

* This is why we are insisting that the RTUK bill is outworn. The parliament and the members of the parliament have to carefully review the things President Sezer has highlighted.

Internet is in danger

* The RTUK bill is also threatening the Internet. The Internet sites protested this bill yesterday by blackening their screens for two hours. None of the newspapers reported that today.

RTUK silence and censorship

* If such a censorship is possible even before the RTUK bill is passed, we will see what kinds of censorship will be applied after the law is passed. (FA)