Turkey Still Major Jailer of Journalists, RSF Says

The latest annual report by Reporters without Borders, RSF, on journalists that were killed, detained and held hostage throughout the world, says Turkey still has one of the worst records on jailing journalists, even though the number is lower now than in other years.

"Although the number of detained journalists [in Turkey] fell for the second year running, Turkey continues to be one of the world's biggest jailers of media personnel and continues to expose them to an entirely arbitrary justice system," the report issued on Monday said.

It said dozens of journalists and media representatives were released over the course of the year after completing their prison sentences or as a result of a new court rulings ­ but that the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still merciless towards dissenting journalists.

According to the report, Turkish journalists are still being imprisoned and prosecuted on the usual charges of "affiliation to illegal or terrorist political groups" or for "terrorist propaganda", but this year several journalists were also charged with "insulting the President", as happened to Ozan Kaplanoglu, a journalist from the city of Bursa and local representative of the Association of Progressive Journalists, CGD.

The Turkish justice system also appears incoherent in its decisions because of high pressure from the government, the report said.

Journalists can be returned to prison if their convictions are upheld on appeal, it noted, as happened to the well-known journalist Ahmet Altan. He was sent back to prison after a brief release, allegedly because of an article he published after his release.

Twenty-five journalists are currently held in Turkish prisons, which makes the country one of the major jailers...