The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), which held its triennial General Meeting in Istanbul at the weekend, has blasted Turkish leaders over the country's "abject failure" to guarantee media freedom and unions rights for media workers.

In a stinging rebuke at the conclusion of the meeting of journalists' unions from  24 countries, the EFJ said the continued denial of fundamental freedoms "cast a shadow over Turkish media." Such freedoms were essential, said the EFJ, "if Turkey is to achieve its ambition of membership of the European Union."

The EFJ singled out the victimisation of journalists at ATV-Sabah who were sacked  in defiance of international conventions for exercising their right to strike and says the Federation will join the Turkish Syndicate of Journalists in taking the case to the European Court of Human rights over denial of the right to take industrial action and to negotiate collective agreements.

But the failure to protect the rights of journalists as workers is only part of the story, says the EFJ which also highlighted "the abject failure to respect the professional freedoms of journalists." The EFJ says more than 60 journalists and media workers are currently facing prosecution with some 44 of them in jail. The EFJ calls for their  "immediate release."

The EFJ lamented "a deplorable climate of fear" surrounding journalism, with 17 violent attacks on journalists in recent months following the murder of Cihan Hayirserver, Executive Editor of Guney Maramar'da Yasam last December.

Violence has been accompanied by numerous bans and restrictions, including the recent banning of 14 news publications as well as five online news websites and 10 other social networking websites. All of this, according to the EFJ, combined with a barrage of 163 warnings, threats and penalties imposed on 66 Turkish broadcasters, has created a fearful environment for media and democracy.

Journalists' unions unanimously called on the Turkish government to act immediately to bring about fundamental changes in law and practice in both labour rights and the right to practice journalism freely and without political or judicial interference

The EFJ also pledged to support the Turkish Journalists Syndicate and to step up its campaign within the global press freedom community and the international labour movement to defend Turkish journalists and to assist the wider struggle for democracy in Turkey.  "We shall promote solidarity in support of lasting change to ensure the rights of all workers and citizens and to secure the future of democracy in the country," concludes the statement.

For more information contact the EFJ at   +32 2 235 2215   

   
The EFJ represents over 250,000 journalists in over 30 European countries