İmralı leak fuels political fight over press freedom

ANKARA – Hürrtiet – 6.3.2013 – Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kılıçdaroğlu calls on media to ‘resist agains the government’s coup,’ as the PM slams press.Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kılıçdaroğlu calls on media to ‘resist agains the government’s coup,’ as the PM slams press.

The media cannot hide behind freedom of the press if it upsets the country’s “national interests,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said yesterday as he reiterated his anger over the leak of talks with outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) head Abdullah Öcalan.

“There cannot be a limitless freedom. If the media is … free to the extent of reporting via violating national interests and exploiting freedom, [the government can also criticize them in turn],” he said, while noting that they were against “censorship.” Main opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu called on scribes to resist the government’s “coup.” Elsewhere, the Nationalist Movement Party declared Öcalan and Erdoğan to be “Siamese twins,” while the Peace and Democracy Party said it was open to other parties aiding in the release of the PKK’s captives.