EU official says Turkish prime minister should not threaten media
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan should not threaten the media who write negative stories about him, Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk said Tuesday, assessing the statements of the prime minister who targeted the Dogan Media Group.
The style adopted by the leaders in such problems should not reach the level of threats, Lagendijk told
Erdogan's fierce criticism of the Dogan Media organs that have been publishing reports about an ongoing government-linked fraud case has heightened tension in
A prime minister should not opt for blackmail or suppression of the media, Lagendijk was quoted by Milliyet as saying.
"Media criticism over politicians is a part of political life. Especially if you are a prime minister, you must become accustomed to this," he said.
"If you think that media published false news about you, the way to solve this is clear. You go to the court," he added. Â
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) and the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DISK), also backed the Dogan Media Group on Monday, saying Erdogan's remarks brought to the agenda the risks to democracy in the country.
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