Turkey imposes media blackout over graft claims against ministers

Agence France-Presse

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Turkey imposes media blackout over graft claims against ministers
The ban was necessary because some media reports 'violated the confidentiality of the investigation and the principle of presumption of innocence,' the Supreme Board of Radio and Television says in a statement on its website

ISTANBUL, Turkey – A Turkish court has imposed a blackout on media coverage of an investigation into corruption allegations against four former ministers of the Islamic-rooted government, the television watchdog said on Wednesday, November 26. 

Turkey’s parliament set up a commission of enquiry in May to investigate the allegations against the former interior, environment, economy and EU ministers who were implicated in a vast corruption scandal that broke late last year. 

The Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) has delivered Tuesday’s ruling to Turkish newspapers, televisions and websites, which were banned from reporting on the parliamentary enquiry and could face penalties if they violate the ban.

The ban was necessary because some media reports “violated the confidentiality of the investigation and the principle of presumption of innocence,” RTUK said in a statement on its website. 

The ban, which will “enable the healthy conduct of the investigation,” will remain in place until December 27. 

Former interior minister Muammer Guler, environment minister Erdogan Bayraktar and economy minister Zafer Caglayan stepped down in December last year after police rounded up their sons on charges of bribery for construction projects and illicit money transfers to neighbouring Iran. 

The EU affairs minister Egemen Bagis was also implicated and removed from the cabinet by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then prime minister. 

Caglayan was personally linked to the scandal after being accused of taking bribes, including a $300,000 (210,000 euro) watch, to facilitate the smuggling of gold to Iran in breach of international sanctions. 

He was fined 250,000 Turkish liras ($110,000 or 90,000 euros) for his luxurious Patek Philippe watch for “violating the customs and import regulations,” state-run Anatolia news agency reported on Monday.  

Erdogan has repeatedly accused followers of US-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen in the police and judiciary of being behind the graft probe, that posed the biggest challenge to his decade-plus rule.

He has managed to stall the investigation by sacking thousands of police and scores of judges. Turkish prosecutors the case against 53 people, including the sons of Guler and Caglayan. 

The media ban raised eyebrows coming just a day before Bayraktar is set to appear for the first time before the parliamentary commission, which will decide whether the former ministers will be prosecuted. 

The commission has been accused of inaction for its failure to summon the suspects and witnesses involved in the corruption investigation to give their testimonies. 

Several left-leaning newspapers vowed not to abide by the ban, with leading daily Cumhuriyet saying it would “bring our readers twice as much news” about the work of the commission. 

Turkish courts frequently order blackout on the media coverage of controversial issues. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said in July that over 150 gag orders have been issued in the past four years. 

Turkey in June ordered a total media blackout on the kidnapping of dozens of Turks by Islamist militants in northern Iraq, which was lifted after the hostages were released in September after a three month ordeal. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!