US 'discontented' with media freedoms in Turkey

"I wouldn't get up here every week and talk about this and express our concerns if we were content with what we're seeing with the way journalists are being treated there [Turkey]. We're not content," Kirby said in response to insistent questions on whether the U.S. conveyed a serious massage to Turkish politicians on the matter, during the daily press briefing on April 20. 

"I don't think we can be more clear and more transparent about our concerns with respect to media freedoms, particularly in Turkey," Kirby claimed, adding their longstanding disquiet about independent media not being allowed to do their jobs has been "well-known, and absolute - and sadly, unchanged."

Kirby was also asked about fresh developments whereby two journalists, Sputnik's Turkey bureau chief, Tural Kerimov, and a reporter for German State Television (ARD), Volker Schwenk, were denied entry into the country at Istanbul Atatürk Airport and deported to Russia and Egypt, respectively. 

While the spokesperson referred both reporters to Turkey to speak on the matter, he nonetheless reiterated the U.S. position in support of free and independent media across the world. 

"It's not just the responsibility of governments to allow for free and independent media coverage and to recognize that scrutiny applied by journalists is not a sign of weakness of a government, it's a sign of strength," he said. 

The U.S. State Department had recently slammed Turkey's rights record in its annual country report on human rights practices, criticizing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government's interference with freedom of expression, arbitrary application of laws and inadequate protection of civilians in the country's southeast for posing great threats...