No MPs have attended the meetings, whereas 108 NGOs and 3 special guests have come together to discuss the general agenda, “Freedom of Expression in State of Emergency and the Situation of Media.”
Small Provincial Assemblies of Turkey have gathered in 12 provinces in November 2016. No MPs have attended the meetings, whereas 108 NGOs and 3 special guests have come together to discuss the general agenda, “Freedom of Expression in State of Emergency and the Situation of Media.” Participants could not agree on a common denominator.
When we look at the opinions presented, participants feeling discomfort on applications of State of Emergency while having a skeptical approach on government politics have stated that they fear expressing their opinions and that they are not sure what may happen to them due to their expressions. The same participants hold the view that Turkey is having a trough on freedom of expression and thought.![""]("/yonet/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/images/5.png")
Participants agreeing that it is not necessary to have serious discomfort on applications of State of Emergency (except a few noted details) express that no citizen, excluding the ones with charges imposed, have faced pressure while expressing their opinions.
A number of participants believe that press organizations in Turkey and in the world can not perform an “independent and unbiased journalism.” Many participants have suspiciously approached the relations of media and media owners with economy and politics; while thinking that the tendency of mainstream media is always closer to the more powerful side. Few participants hold the opinion that in Turkey, whoever holds the power attacks people who don’t hold the same opinions, and that democracy can be the only solution to get out of this.
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