[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3546]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   ASSAULT ON PRESS FREEDOM IN TURKEY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have spoken many times on the Senate 
floor in defense of press freedom because it is a fundamental 
cornerstone of a democratic society. Today I want to briefly draw the 
Senate's attention to the situation in Turkey, one of the many 
countries in the world where this basic right is under threat by 
officials in the government who seek to silence their critics.
  Recently, in the latest assault on press freedom, Turkish police 
arrested and detained nearly two dozen members of the news media, 
including Ekrem Dumanli and Hidayet Karaca, two prominent journalists 
who are well known to be affiliated with Fethullah Gulen, a vocal 
critic of President Erdogan. The sweeping charges levied against them 
were not only intended to stop their criticism, but to intimidate 
anyone who is critical of the Turkish Government. While Mr. Dumanli has 
since been released, Mr. Karaca remains in prison.
  This case reflects a broader pattern of repression in Turkey, where 
targeted reprisals against outspoken critics have become a common 
practice for that government. In fact, Reporters Without Borders ranked 
Turkey 154 out of 180 nations for press freedom in its 2014 World Press 
Freedom Index, and Turkey has consistently been among the top jailers 
of journalists, along with China and Iran. This latest censorship 
continues the abuse of the Turkish penal code and further erodes what 
remains of press freedom in Turkey.
  Not only are these actions inconsistent with the norms and values 
expected of Turkey, a NATO ally; they violate Turkey's own commitments 
under international law, foment further dissent, and serve to affirm 
the allegations being made against the Erdogan administration. I am 
disappointed with the backsliding from democracy that we have seen in 
Turkey, and I am concerned that it will weaken our important strategic 
partnership in the region. I join the many government officials, 
advocates, journalists and others who have called for a prompt 
resolution of these cases, and an end to the Turkish Government's 
jailing of people for exercising their right to free expression. The 
international community and people of good will everywhere expect 
better from the government of that great nation. The people of Turkey 
deserve better.

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