State Council Criticises Government Censorship

The State Council Administrative Chambers Board has criticised the government’s insistence on censorship on news coverage regarding the PKK attack in Daglica, Hakkari, on 21 October. 

Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek had notified the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) of a broadcasting ban shortly after the attack took place on 21 October. The 13th Chamber of the State Council rejected the ban unanimously, but the government has insisted on perpetuating the ban.

Banning broadcasts needs clear framework

According to Law 3984 on Radio and Television Institutions and Broadcasts, the Prime Minister or an appointed minister can ban broadcasts if it is considered necessary. Because the bans mean stopping broadcasts before they are aired, the State Council pointed to the sensitive nature of such decisions, which, particularly in “democratic regimes” needed to be justified very clearly and in a concrete manner.

The decree said that if there was no clarity, a stop to broadcasts would make broadcasting institutions doubt their legality.

"Keep morale up"

The ban had been justified in order “to keep the morale of security forces high, not to damage the social psychology, and to protect children’s psychology”.

However, argued the State Council, considering the variety of radio and television broadcasts, it was not clear which broadcasts would “negatively affect public order and the people’s morale, create a weak image of the security forces, negatively affect social psychology”.

As there was no clear framework, the extent of the ban was not clear, and thus, argued the State Council, violated Article 25/1 of Law 3984. (EÖ/NZ/AG)