[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 16 (Friday, January 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN TURKEY

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. PAUL A. GOSAR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 30, 2015

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concerns about the 
current efforts to punish and stifle freedom of expression in Turkey 
and to share my worry that Turkey is drifting away from the tolerant 
secular nation founded by Kemal Ataturk almost 100 years ago and 
towards religious extremism and authoritarianism.
  The current Government in Turkey has arrested members of Turkish 
media deemed non-supportive of the government. For decades, Turkey has 
had a free press and the freedom to disagree and vigorous political 
debate. It is a disturbing negative trend for the current government to 
reverse decades of transparency and to seek to impose authoritarianism.
  I am informed that Mr. Ekrem Dumanli, editor-in-chief of Zaman, a 
daily newspaper in Turkey, and Hidayet Karaca, General Manager of 
Samanyolu Media Group, were arrested on December 14, 2014. To the shame 
of the current leadership, Hidayet Karaca is still in detention 
awaiting trial. They were not arrested for actual crimes, but on 
transparently political charges, thus bringing the total number of 
detained press and media personalities to 29. These members of the 
media have ties to the Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, a scholar who 
preaches tolerance and peace and who is a known critic of the Erdogan 
Administration.
  In December 2013, allegations of corruption were levied against the 
Erdogan Administration based on legal investigations. Afterwards, about 
some 400 people (including 150 stated Gulen supporters) were monitored 
on Twitter and ultimately the Turkish people's access to Twitter was 
blocked. These arrests, and the effort to stifle opposition, have a 
chilling effect on freedom, democracy, and economic prosperity for all 
of Turkey. Turkey's bid for accession to the European Union continues 
to languish under these policies--before negotiations on the matter 
develop, Turkey must recognize basic press freedoms and the right to 
political dissent.
  Turkey plays a critical role as an ally to the United States in the 
Middle East. To allow it to go down the road of sectarian extremism and 
authoritarianism without meaningful discussion and diplomacy is 
disconcerting. Turkey is a key leader in the region and a cultural, 
historic, and political bulwark between the Middle East, Europe, and 
Asia. Turkey is an important member of NATO, and I believe all rational 
people want to see the Turkish Government abandon intimidation and 
embrace a free press and tolerance of dissenting voices. The Turkey 
founded by Ataturk deserves our support. International remonstration is 
needed to bring it back to the ranks of nations that do not fear its 
own people, do not fear opposition, and do not fear universal freedoms.

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