According to CHP Eskisehir MP Utku Cakirozer's March Press Freedom Report, about 100 journalists appeared before a judge in one month. Six journalists were sentenced to 15 years and 2 months in prison. Three journalists were detained and two journalists were investigated.

Although the Constitutional Court ruled that the Press Advertising Agency (BIK) had ruled that the fines for adverts were a "violation of rights", the BIK continued to issue advertising penalties to newspapers. RTUK (Radio and Television Supreme Council) similarly issued fines to televisions.

While blocking access to news sites and news, even the Freedom of Expression Association, which reports on these bans, has been blocked.

100 JOURNALISTS HAVE APPEARED BEFORE JUDGE

Nearly 100 journalists, including Olcay Buyuktas, Nagehan Alci, Ipek Ozbey, Hakan Aygun and Mustafa Sonmez, appeared before the judge, according to a report by CHP journalist-turned-MP Utku Cakirozer.

Six journalists, including Odatv Ankara News Director Muyesser Yildiz, Tele 1 Ankara Representative Ismail Dukel and Sendika.org executive Ali Ergin Demirhan, were sentenced to 16 years and 2 months in prison. Demirhan's prison sentence was changed to a fine. Sozcu columnist Yilmaz Ozdil and journalist Alican Uludag have been investigated.

RADIO MAN KILLED, TV BROADCASTER BEATEN

Hazim Ozsu, who was doing a program on a local radio station in Bursa, died as a result of a gun attack by his listener, who had been following his show for a year. Levent Gultekin, a Halk TV programmer and columnist of the Diken news website, was attacked with kicks and punches by a group of 25 people in front of Halk TV's building in Bakirkoy. Three journalists were detained, including journalist Enver Aysever and Arti Gercek reporter Yagmur Kaya, who reported on the Bogazici University protests.

CONTINUED FINES DESPITE CONSTITIONAL COURT DECISION

The constitutional court deemed the "Ad cutting" penalty given by the Press Advertising Agency (BIK) to the Korkusuz Newspaper unconstitutional, calling it a "violation of freedom of expression and press freedom". Despite this decision, BIK, which continues to issue penalties, gave our newspaper Evrensel a 5-day and the newspaper Birgun a 2-day advert ban. RTUK, meanwhile, did not waste the month of March and issued a total of 4 separate administrative fines to Tele1 and Halk TV.

BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

In March, they continued to block access to news that reported on the restriction of press freedom. Access to ETHA and Mezopotamya Agency news sites was completely blocked, while 16 different stories were also blocked, according to the Freedom of Expression Association.

In addition to blocking access to social media posts about the economy by opposition lawmakers via the CHP Official Twitter account, the Association for Freedom of Expression has also been blocked from access. Access to even the content on the association's website, where it announced access barriers in Turkey, has been blocked.

Access to news about the fraudulent meat scandal and the Halk Bank case in the United States has also been barred.

THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY WITHOUT PRESS FREEDOM

Commenting on the press freedom violations in March, Cakirozer said, "The BIK has jumped on the bandwagon of institutions that do not recognize the decisions of the Constitutional Court. Despite the Constitutional Court’s decision which can be interpreted as 'You are violating the freedom of the press', the continuation of unlawful advertising penalties is nothing more than unlawful. The BIK’s penalties for newspapers, RTUK's penalties for TV channels and increasing news or site access block are hindering the people’s right to information and freedom of press. We cannot talk of democracy in Turkey without removing the obstacles to press freedom." (EVRENSEL DAILY)