Φετινή παρουσία του ιστορικού Συλλόγου Κωνσταντινουπολιτών στον ΟΑΣΑ

 Ενημερωτικό κείμενο για την φετινή παρουσία του ιστορικού Συλλόγου Κωνσταντινουπολιτών στον ΟΑΣΑ, μαζί με το πλήρες (Αγγλικό) κείμενο της παρέμβασης του..

                                               Λεωνίδας Κουμάκης

 

Ο Σύλλογος Κωσταντινουπολιτών παρόν και εφέτος στον Οργανισμό για την Ασφάλεια & την Συνεργασία στην Ευρώπη (ΟΑΣΕ)

 

Ο Σύλλογος Κωνσταντινουπολιτών, συνεχίζοντας την αδιάλειπτη επί πολλές δεκαετίες ενεργό παρουσία του σε Διεθνείς Οργανισμούς, συμμετείχε στην 1^ηΣυμπληρωματική Συνάντηση Ανθρώπινης Διάστασης (SHDM- Ι) του Οργανισμούγια την Ασφάλεια και τη Συνεργασία (ΟΑΣΕ) με θέμα «Ελευθερία ΜΜΕ και Ισότητα Φύλων», η οποία διεξήχθη μέσω τηλεδιάσκεψης, στις 8 - 9 Μαρτίου2021.

Αναπτύχθηκαν προφορικώς και κατατέθηκαν γραπτώς τα ζητήματαανελευθερίας του Τύπου και της έκφρασης καθώς και η ρητορική μίσους πουεπικρατούν στην Τουρκία.

Ειδικότερα, υπογραμμίστηκε ότι ο ελληνικός μειονοτικός Τύπος βρίσκεται υπόσυνεχή απειλή και αντιμετωπίζει περιορισμούς στην ελευθερία έκφρασης, μεασφυκτικό έλεγχο των κρατικών Αρχών, σε πολύ μεγαλύτερο βαθμό από τηνδεινή κατάσταση που βρίσκονται τα ΜΜΕ στην Τουρκία.

Έγινε ειδική αναφορά στην δια του τουρκικού Τύπου εκφραζόμενη ρητορικήμίσους κατά του Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχη κ.κ. Βαρθολομαίου, με συγκεκριμέναπαραδείγματα του πρόσφατου παρελθόντος.

Απευθύνθηκαν Συστάσεις (Recommendations) προς τον ΟΑΣΕ ώστε ναπροτρέψει τις κρατικές Αρχές της Τουρκίας να συμμορφωθούν με τις αποφάσεις των Διεθνών Οργανισμών για το δικαίωμα της ελεύθερης έκφρασης,την κατάργηση διώξεων σε βάρος των δημοσιογράφων, και τέλος, τηνεξάλειψη της ρητορικής μίσους και των εν γένει διακρίσεων σε βάρος τωνμειονοτήτων.

Το πλήρες κείμενο της εφετινής παρέμβασης του ιστορικού Συλλόγου Κωνσταντινουπολιτών προς όλα τα κράτη-μέλη του ΟΑΣΑ, στην Αγγλική γλώσσα, έχει ως εξής:

 

Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting (SHDM) Ion Media Freedom and Gender Equality, 8 - 9 March 2021, Day 2, Session II: The Role of the Media in the implementationof the Women, Peace and Security Agenda

The Greek Minority and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey

Media Freedom and Hate Speech Issues

 

STATEMENT

Introduction

We represent the Constantinopolitan Society, a non - governmental / non - profit organization,established in 1928 in Greece by forcibly expatriated members of the Greek minority of Istanbul.

Our intervention will focus on the basic issues that are related to media freedom and hate speechin Turkey and address our concerns about the actual implementation of the OSCE commitmentsand identify further action which may be taken by Turkey, regarding media freedom and hatespeech in this country.

Media Freedom

Media freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey is under sustained and increasing attack.

Since the failed coup attempt in July 2016, academics, journalists and writers who criticize thegovernment risk criminal investigation and prosecution, intimidation, harassment andcensorship. According to Amnesty International, at least 156 media outlets have been shut downby executive decree since July 2016. More than 114,00 websites are blocked.

An estimated 2,500 journalists and other media workers have lost their jobs as a result, andunsubstantiated and disproportionate sentences curtailing freedom of expression handed down.

In addition, the Directorate General of Press and Information has revoked the press credentialsof 778 journalists. More than 120 journalists and other media workers have been detained, somefor up to nine months without trial.

The Turkish government continues to impose significant restrictions and serious limitations onhuman rights, thereby threatening the sustainable well-being, survival and future of the Greekminority in Turkey. These oppressive policies have led to the dramatic decline of the Greekpopulation of Turkey, from over 100,000 in the 1950’s to less than 2,000 at present.

Specifically, the Greek minority Pressin Istanbul is under constant threat and confronts the samefreedom of expression restrictions to a far greater extent. Under these harsh circumstances, itssurvival is doubtful. The Turkish State purposefully keeps the minority press underfunded andclosely supervised by the relevant authorities. A probable closure will be a heavy blow to mediapluralism.

Hate speech

In Turkey, government officials and pro-government groups continue to direct hate speechtoward non-Muslim citizens. In particular, hate speech and threats directed against the GreekMinority and the Ecumenical Patriarchate remain a serious problem. The Turkish authorities keepon diminishing the Patriarch by stubbornly refusing to call Him as Ecumenical. This title is a purelyecclesiastical one since 6th century AD and all foreign dignitaries use this term without prejudice.

In May 2020, in a 176-page special edition of the pro-Islamist Turkish magazine Gerçek Hayat,which belongs to the press group of the well-known pro-government newspaper Yeni Şafak,leading members of religious minorities in Turkey, including the Ecumenical PatriarchBartholomew became targets. The magazine made unsubstantiated allegations that theEcumenical Patriarch was among those who helped and collaborated with Fethullah Gülenmovement to stage the failed coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016.

Also, other pro-government news commentators published stories attempting to associate theJuly 2016 coup plotters with the Ecumenical Patriarch. In the aftermath of such statements theEcumenical Patriarch was targeted by thugs at his personal residence. The perpetrators are stillat large.

On top of that, the Turkish authorities without internal deliberation and in breach with UNESCO’sprocedures, decided to turn the world heritage monuments Hagia Sophia and the Former Churchof the Holy Saviour of Chora into mosques. Although operating as museums, they are stillreference points for both Christianity and Islam. Such ill-devised initiatives, just for short-termpolitical gain, don’t serve a multicultural society. Let’s hope that the declaration of PresidentErdogan on 02.03.2021 will not be another ploy.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Due to significant restrictions and serious limitations on Media Freedom which are threateningthe sustainable vitality, survival and future of the Greek Minority in Turkey, OSCE / ODHIR arecalled upon to urge Turkey -as OSCE participating State- to:

• strengthen the independence of the regulatory authority and its board members and Lawin line with the Venice Commission’s recommendations with a view to ensuring mediapluralism;

• Ensure that journalists can carry out their function of informing public opinion, andconveying information and ideas without threats, harassment or intimidation, and are notprosecuted for expressing views that do not constitute incitement to violence.

• Introduce measures to eradicate hate speech in the media, in order to protect targetedminorities and bring an end to impunity for hate crimes.

• Reform Articles 299 and 301 of the penal code in order to curb discrimination againstminorities and violations of the right to freedom of expression.