The first hearing of the lawsuit filed by Evrensel against BİK's cancellation of our right to publish official announcements and advertisements was held. The court announced that the decision would be published within 15 days.
The first hearing of the lawsuit filed by our newspaper Evrensel against the cancellation of our official publication and advertising rights by the Press Advertisement Agency (BIK) took place today at the Istanbul 2nd Administrative Court. The court announced that the decision will be published in 15 days. In a statement before the hearing, it was emphasised that "Evrensel cannot be silenced".
Speaking at the hearing, lawyer Devrim Avcı argued that the inspections cited as the reason for our newspaper not being able to receive advertisements were only carried out in Istanbul and that the Press Advertising Institution did not impose this obligation on any other newspaper or publication, which indicates a lack of equality before the law. Avcı demanded the acceptance of the lawsuit and the cancellation of the administrative procedure.
On the other hand, the lawyers of the Press Advertisement Agency (BIK) claimed that the cancellation decision was in accordance with the Constitution and aimed to prevent newspapers from publishing only for the purpose of receiving official announcements. They claimed that such controls were aimed at improving the quality of the press.
When Evrensel's lawyer Avcı spoke again, he objected to the accusation of "publishing a newspaper to receive official announcements", stressing that Evrensel had been a newspaper for over 20 years and was not a newspaper published to receive official announcements.
Avcı also recounted that Evrensel had undergone several inspections between 2011 and 2019, and that during this period the press cards of the newspaper's employees had been withheld for 4-5 years without any action being taken. Considering all these factors, Avcı argued that Evrensel's right to freedom of the press had been violated on several occasions.
The court adjourned the hearing, stating that the decision would be announced in 15 days.
Before the trial, workers and readers of Evrensel held a press statement in front of the Istanbul Regional Administrative Court. Holding banners with the slogan "Evrensel cannot be silenced", the participants expressed their commitment to the right to information, defended press freedom, resisted censorship and claimed that BIK was attacking the public's right to information. Various signs with slogans such as "Labour is universal" were also carried.
The first speaker at the statement was lawyer Devrim Avcı from the Evrensel newspaper. Avcı said that BİK's hostile attitude towards Evrensel reached its peak with this lawsuit. He continued:
"In the past, the Press Advertisement Agency used to decide on the payment of fines for the publication of official advertisements and advertisements in the newspaper. The reason given for the fines was 'failure to comply with press ethics and principles'. Evrensel will not learn press ethics and principles from the Press Advertisement Agency. Our news does not draw its strength from partisan journalism towards political power, but from the reality experienced by workers and labourers".
Avcı emphasised that all the decisions taken by BİK since it was linked to the Presidency's Communication Directorate have been against Evrensel and said, "The most severe sanction was the illegal cancellation of the right to publish official advertisements, a clear violation of the duty to distribute official announcements to newspapers fairly."
Lawyer Devrim Avcı said that BİK's attitude is clearly pressure and censorship: "Workers whose right to information has been taken away and workers whose jobs are affected by this pressure and censorship are expressing this. Our legal struggle against this pressure and censorship will always continue. Your support and solidarity strengthen Evrensel".
Next, the editor-in-chief of Evrensel newspaper, Fatih Polat, recalled that BİK stopped Evrensel's official advertisement and advertising rights in September 2019. Polat said, "With the transition to the presidential system of government, the press advertising institution was also connected to the presidential communication presidency. Two new situations have arisen for us. One is that the Press Advertisement Agency, which was fully integrated into the government structure, turned into a stick against newspapers that prioritise the public's right to information and give a voice to the opposition".
Fatih Polat explained that the second embargo imposed on Evrensel was the non-renewal of the press cards of Evrensel employees for years. He said: "The mere juxtaposition of these two treatments proves that the reason for the cancellation of Evrensel's right to official announcements by the Press Advertisement Agency is not legal but political.They requested the court to put an end to the injustice, and Polat said:
"The fact that the Press Advertisement Agency is using the fact that our readers buy more than one newspaper from different retailers as a reason to cancel our right to advertise is completely illegal. A simple investigation by an independent institution can easily determine whether the circulation of newspapers that support the government and take a significant share of the official advertising cake or Evrensel's circulation is the real circulation. In today's trial at the İstanbul 2nd Administrative Court, we demand that this injustice be brought to an end. We say once again: You cannot silence Evrensel with pressure and financial blockades.
Selma Gürkan, the Chair of the Labour Party (EMEP), emphasised that the government has established a special blockade on the press and said:
"This blockade on Evrensel should be seen as part of the blockade on the public's right to information. The discrimination against Evrensel should be seen not only as an interference in the public's right to information, the freedom of expression of the press, but also as an interference in the speech of the working class, the labouring class, and as an interference in the demands for peace and democracy. If there is law, if there is justice, we hope and demand that this unjust and illegal practice regarding Evrensel will be stopped. But we also know this: Evrensel was built with labour and it will live with solidarity".
Banu Tuna, the general secretary of Turkey’s Journalists’ Union (TGS), said in her speech during the press statement that they were here against the use of public institutions as a whip against journalists.
Tuna said, "We are here against the government's policy. Today we are here in front of an administrative court, but in fact this case against Evrensel is a case of freedom of expression, a case of the right to information and a case of freedom of the press. Therefore, not only journalists and professional organisations, but everyone who defends the right to information and everyone who defends Evrensel must support and stand by Evrensel". (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Hediye Levent
Yusuf Karadaş
Yücel Özdemir