Turkey’s Higher Broadcasting Council, RTUK, on Wednesday (February 22nd) sanctioned three television channels that had criticized the government for its handling of the consequences of the earthquake that struck the south of the country on February 6th.
Channels Halk TV, Tele1 and Fox TV have been fined and suspended programs for “the information and comments they disseminated about the earthquake”announced on Twitter Ilhan Tasci, a member of the RTUK elected by the opposition.
Halk TV and Tele1 were ordered to pay a fine corresponding to 5% of their turnover for the month of January, as well as the suspension for five days of one of their daily broadcasts. Another fine of 3% of their January turnover was imposed on Halk TV and Fox TV.
The three channels are known for their editorial line critical of the power of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Halk TV being especially close to the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party, the CHP (center left, secular).
“A Censorship Committee”
“Again, the RTUK does not surprise us by sanctioning us. Those who came to power criticizing the repression are now banning everything and expecting to be obeyed. (…) Halk TV will continue to inform and Turkey will not remain without news »reacted on Twitter Cafer Mahiroglu, the boss of Halk TV.
“Acting like a censorship board, RTUK will fail to hide the truth by sanctioning channels that report the misfortune of the people in the quake-affected region. RTUK is committing a crime by ignoring the public’s right to know”declared the president of the Association of Journalists of Turkey, Nazmi Bilgin.
The Turkish government is strongly criticized by the opposition and independent media for its absence and the lack of reaction during the first days in localities devastated by the earthquake of a magnitude of 7.8. These criticisms come three months before the presidential election, scheduled for May 14.
Mr. Erdogan had acknowledged last week “shortcomings” in the organization of relief, while emphasizing the enormity of the earthquake.
“Their incompetence cost the lives of tens of thousands of our compatriots”charged the head of the CHP, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
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Turkey, which passed a law in October punishing the dissemination of “fake news” sentences of up to three years in prison, peaking at the 149e place on 180 of the 2022 press freedom ranking published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Access to Twitter was blocked for a dozen hours in Turkey on February 9 on the country’s main mobile phone providers, accustomed to this practice. The restriction on the social network had sparked multiple criticisms aimed at the government’s response to the earthquake, which killed nearly 46,000 people in Turkey and Syria.