Its Supreme Radio and Television Council Turkey (RTÜK) blocked access to the Turkish service of the American state network Voice of America and the German public network Deutsche Welle because they did not submit applications to be granted content broadcasting licenses, as required by the Turkish electronic and digital regulator mediasaid a member of yesterday Thursday (30/6).
In February, both DW and VoA announced that they would not apply for licenses as required by RTÜK under Turkish media law, which critics of the Turkish government say is effectively aimed at censorship.
RTÜK member Ilhan Tasci, who is affiliated with the Republican People’s Party (CHP, official opposition), said via Twitter that access to DW’s Turkish service and VoA’s Turkish service was blocked by court order at the request of the broadcaster’s board.
According to Mr. Tassi, the decision was taken by a court in Ankara on the grounds that the two foreign media “did not submit applications to be granted licenses”. “Here’s to your free press and entrenched democracy!” he added sarcastically.
Most of the mainstream media in Turkey are considered close to the government and their coverage is without exception favorable to the president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his political allies. Many Turks are turning to alternative imgs, some abroad, and social networking sites for information.
RTÜK, which is dominated by the ruling Justice & Development Party (AKP) and its allies, frequently announces fines for media outlets critical of the government.
The debate in the Turkish parliament on the media bill and opponents of the government have baptized “censorship law” has been postponed until the fall, when the work of the Turkish national delegation will resume, Mahir Yunal, an AKP lawmaker, said this week.
Turkey has for years topped the world rankings for the number of journalists in jail and has been criticized by both its Western allies and human rights groups for a spate of abuses. Critics of Mr. Erdogan’s government also point out that he is using the failed military coup of July 2016 as a pretext to suppress any dissent. The government rejects these accusations and maintains that the measures it is taking are necessary because of threats to Turkey’s national security.
Source: News Beast
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