1st INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ABOUT FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND AGAINST CENSORSHIP IN TURKEY AND INTERNATIONALLY

MESOP ANNOUNCEMENT : A PKK GUIDED CONFERENCE IN EU PARLIAMNT FACILITIES

In cooperation, with Kurdish Institute Brussel – STERK + RONAHI TV – MEDIA + SOCIALISTS  + DEMOCRATS of EU Parliament –  Brussels, European Parliament, 29 June 2017

Interpretation is available in English, French, Kurdish and Turkish   – Room: Altiero Spinelli-A3G-2 –  Address: Rue Wiertz 60 – B-1047 – Bruxelles

Invitation,

This international conference will focus on freedom of thought and of the press and of people’s right to information in Turkey. Members of the International Federation of Journalists, academics, European, Turkish and Kurdish journalists, policy-makers and activists will speak at the conference.

The Turkish State is engaged in a massive assault on freedom of expression within its borders. In the last year, 150 television, radio and daily newspapers have been closed and hundreds of journalists have been imprisoned. According to the Reporters without Borders 2017 press freedom index, Turkey is one of the countries where press freedom is mostly violated, ranking155th out of 180 countries.

Today Turkey is the world’s largest prison with over 150 imprisoned journalists with hundreds of closed newspapers, magazines, and television stations.

 

 

Draft Program:

29 June 2017

Room A3G-2

 

OPENING SESSION 13.00 – 14.00

 

OPENING REMARKS AND GREETINGS

·         Ms. Heval Nesrin ASLAN, Journalist, Belgium

  • MEP Josef WEIDENHOLZER, MEP, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (S/D)
  • Renate SCHROEDER, EFJ– International
  • Dominique PRADALIE, Secretary-General, SNJ (Trade Union)
  • MEP Kati PIRI, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (TBC)

 

 

SESSION I. 14.00 – 16.00

 

FREEDOM AND RIGHTS OF THE PRESS IN TURKEY AND KURDISTAN

Moderator

  • Amed Dicle, Journalist, Belgium

 

Subjects and Speakers:

The Role of the EU Institutions

  • MEP Mark DEMESMAEKER, European Conservatives and Reformists Group

Journalists Rights and their Difficulties

  • Hakkı BOLTAN, Özgür Gazeteciler İnisiyatifi spokesperson, Turkey-Kurdistan
  • Necati ABAY, TGDP Representative, Germany
  • Huseyin KELLECİ, TV-ON Representative, Germany
  • Sevda KARACA, HAYAT-TV Representative, Turkey
  • Mathias DEPARDON, Journalist
  • Dicle MÜFTÜOĞLU, DIHABER Representative, Turkey
  • Bunyad CIZIRI, Ronahi TV, Journalist

 

 
Questions and discussion with moderators & discussants

 

16.00 -17.30

THE FIGHT AGAINST CENSORSHIP AND PROPOSALS FOR SOLUTIONS

Moderator

Ms. Gule ALGUNERHAN, Journalist, France

 

 

Subjects and Speakers:

Journalism in EU and Turkey

  • Hayko BAĞDAT, Journalist
  • Fusun ERDOĞAN, Journalist
  • Celal BAŞLANGIÇ, Journalist
  • Erik MOOTET, Lawyer, Newroz TV

 

International Institutions and therir Role

  • Caroline STOCKFORD, Chair Translation, Linguisitic Rights and Writers in Prison Committee, Wales PEN Cymru
  • Steve SWEENEY, Journalist for the Morning Star, UK

 

 

17.30 – 18.00

CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINAL RESOLUTION

  • Ayesel AVESTA, Journlaist, Germany