The Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) has said although a military coup attempt was foiled in Turkey, freedom of the press in the country has been sustaining blow after blow since the failed coup.
Turkey survived a military coup attempt on July 15, which claimed the lives of more than 240 people and injured a thousand others. Dozens of media outlets in the country have been closed down and scores of journalists have been jailed by the government since the putsch.
Releasing a quarterly report on the situation of press freedom in Turkey, the ÇGD said: “Turkish political and social life have been saved from a coup, but freedom of expression and freedom of the press have been killed after receiving blow after blow.”
According to the ÇDG report, 118 media outlets in Turkey were closed down, 184 journalists were detained, 56 journalists arrested, 866 journalists fired from their jobs and 620 journalists had their press cards cancelled during the July-September period.
The Turkish government declared a state of emergency in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt, which has enabled the government to issue decrees having the force of law. The closure of the media outlets has been made through such decrees.