Tuğrul Eryılmaz and Erol Önderoğlu Receive TGC Award

Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC) announced the winners of this year’s press freedom awards.

On the individual category, the association awarded Erol Önderoğlu, a bianet editor of Media Monitoring report and RSF Turkey representative, as well as Tuğrul Eryılmaz, bianet’s roof organization (IPS) board member and former editor-in-chief of Radikal 2 supplement.

Önderoğlu received the award for his contributions on the monitoring and reporting of press and expression freedom violations in Turkey as well as his publication in the country and worldwide.

Eryılmaz, on the other hand, received the award for leading Radikal 2, “a free platform that brought together different voices” in Turkey.

Eryılmaz: If only press freedom struggle was considered as natural

“If only I received this award in an environment where press freedom was considered as necessary part of our job,” Eryılmaz told bianet.

“I am happy to end with an award my 39 year long journalism career that started in 1975.  But if only Turkey didn’t need to award journalists for championing the freedom of expression. If only this was already part of their jobs.

“It is sad that my efforts to unionize journalists are seen as different thing and awarded, but we must still start from somewhere.

Önderoğlu: I am honored

Önderoğlu told bianet the following:

“I acknowledge all nomination committee members, contributing colleagues and lawyers. I am honored. My heart would want that I would receive this beautiful award in an environment where the conception of press freedom was accepted and no media outlets were excluded by governments.”

On July 24, Turkey’s “Struggle Day on Press Freedom”, an award ceremony will be held in Istanbul’s The Marmara Taksim Hotel. The award is given annually since 1989 to underline the importance of press freedom in Turkey. (EA/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.