The Global Media Forum 2016, a summit convened to assess challenges posed to journalism, conferred the Freedom of Speech Award on Sedat Ergin, Editor-in-Chief of Turkish newspaper Hurriyet here on Monday, with strong reference to intimidation of the media by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan government.
Presenting the award, the publisher of Germany’s Bild newspaper, Kai Deikmann said Mr. Ergin faced a possible four-year prison sentence for an article. Hurriyet has also been subjected to a record “tax fine” of $2.5 billion dollars in the past for its critical stance against Erdogan government. Its office was stormed by political activists supporting Mr. Erdogan, and one columnist left badly injured in an attack.
The GMF, which is supported by the German government’s Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, among others, noted that threats to freedom of expression were also evident in Europe.
‘Illiberal attitude’Highlighting this theme, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, vice-president of the European Parliament said, Hungary was following an “illiberal” attitude towards the media, while public service broadcasting in Poland was under pressure from the ruling party.
In his acceptance address, Mr. Ergin said it was disturbing that the label of electoral democracy was being used by authoritarian rulers to suppress free expression. Such “electoral authoritarianism” or “popular authoritarianism” was a dangerous trend, he said.
The Director General of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, said the Freedom of Speech Award to Hurriyet sent a “signal” to Turkey and Mr. Erdogan German President, Joachim Gauck, in a video message presented at the opening of the conference, called for “incorruptible, serious and reliable journalism” based on facts.
