At least 22 journalists fired in connection with Gezi protests
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| A group of people from te Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) gathered outside Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan on Monday, protesting sacking of journalists. |
The Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) has announced that at least 22 journalists have been fired in connection with the Gezi Park protests, while 37 others have had to resign from their posts.
Speaking at the conference, TGS İstanbul branch head Gökhan Durmuş said 22 journalists have been fired and 37 others forced to resign since May 27, when a small group of environmentalists began a sit-in protest in Gezi Park in the heart of İstanbul, attempting to block the government's plan to build an Ottoman-style barracks on the park. Following a heavy-handed police crackdown on the peaceful protesters, thousands took to the streets and rallies spread across Turkey. Five people, including a policeman, died and more than 7,000 were injured in the clashes, according to a Turkish rights group.
“These dismissals and resignations are mostly related to censorship policies followed by some media outlets in dealing with the Gezi Park resistance,” Durmuş said, adding that media workers are trying their best to resist the pressure exerted by media bosses and the government.
“Our colleagues worked hard for the public's right to be informed, and they paid for it with their jobs. Some have been censored, some had their TV programs shut down. There are even journalists who have been sacked due to their tweets. A colleague has been dismissed from his job just for saying hi to a [Gezi] protester,” Durmuş further stated, calling on all media workers to cooperate with the union to fight against pressure.
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