VAN TV Reporter Elçi: We are on Watch for Journalism

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Staff of VAN TV and Doğu Radyo, which were closed on September 28 along with nine other TV channels, have been keeping watch for 14 days in front of their workplace.

Speaking to bianet, VAN TV reporter Fazıl Elçi has said they started resistance in the garden of the TV building 14 days ago as 40 people from VAN TV and Doğu Radyo and continued next to the TV building subsequent to police intervention.

“Storming in the regie room, police and finance officials cut off our signal on the day when the channel was shut down. We started the watch in the following day, however, police told us that they would intervene and detain us, and took us out of the garden. So, we continue our resistance at the sidewall of the building”.

Saying “We are resisting to practice our occupation, journalism”, Elçi stated that their watch has been visited by NGOs and politicians, and that they carry on with journalism on this site for TV and this site for radio.

TV and radio channels are being shut down

By the decree no. 668 enacted right after the declaration of the State of Emergency.

As part of the State of Emergency, firstly 45 newspapers, 16 TV and 23 radio channels, 15 magazines, 3 news agencies and 29 publishing houses were closed by the Statutory Decree No. 668.

Causing the shutting, the decree enables new shutting downs by Minister approval.

Over 10 TV and radio channels were removed from TÜRKSAT, the national satellite, and that their broadcastings were shut down on September 28.

Yön Radio’s broadcasting was cut off on September 29 and İMC TV’s broadcasting was shut down on September 30. Access to the websites of Özgür Radio, İMC TV and Hayatın Sesi were blocked.

Med Nûçe TV’s broadcast through France-based Eutelsat satellite was shut down on October 3.

Regie rooms of İMC TV and Hayatın Sesi TV were sealed on October 4. (EA/TK)