MEPs urge Commission to condemn sentence against Turkish journalist

11.01.2019 13:53

MEPs urge Commission to condemn sentence against Turkish journalist

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Views expressed here are the views of the national delegation and do not always reflect the views of the group as a whole
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Members of the European Parliament from across different political groups have called on the European Commission to condemn Turkey’s actions against journalist Pelin Ünker, as well as to urge the Commission to ask the Turkish authorities to reconsider the actions taken and drop the charges against the journalist.

MEPs David Casa (EPP Group), Ana Gomes (S&D Group), Monica Macovei (ECR Group), Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz (ALDE Group), Benedek Jávor (Greens/EFA Group) and Stelios Kouloglou (GUE/NGL Group) have sent a letter to the Vice President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, in which they insisted that the actions taken against journalist Pelin Ünker are not compatible with a country striving for EU accession.

Pelin Ünker, who forms part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, has been sentenced to over a year imprisonment following her factual reporting on the ownership of companies held by relatives of the speaker of Turkey’s national assembly.

MEP David Casa said “We have been working to protect journalists across Europe for the past months, through several initiatives, including that of pressuring the Commission to introduce anti-SLAPP legislation. We cannot allow a situation where a country which aspires to become a member of the European Union treats journalists in this manner. We will not stop here. We want journalists to do their jobs, and we will do everything we can to ensure that investigative journalists are protected.”

A copy of the letter referred to above is being attached to this press release.

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The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 218 Members from 28 Member States

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