President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey will never give up the freedom of the press and has stressed the importance of journalists duty to inform the public. This, he said is a contributor towards democracy.
“In today’s world where the speed of information has increased in a dizzying way, the understanding of accurate and honest reporting is more valuable than ever. Therefore, journalists also have a great responsibility in the struggle for truth against lies and disinformation,” he said.
He added that the media is an indispensable element of democracy and journalists have a moral responsibility to meet an important need for society. Media platforms should follow professional principles and press ethics, he said.
Turkey is the world’s leading jailers of journalists and there are an estimated 120 journalists currently behind bars, almost half of the global total.
It ranks 154th out of 180 on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index, making it one of the worst-performing countries in the world. Erdogan is accused of a “witch hunt” against media critics following the failed 2016 coup d’etat.
