Hello,
November 2 is celebrated as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
As the first quarter of the 21st century is over, journalists all over the world are sadly subjected to pressure, threats, blackmail and assassinations while fulfilling their duty of informing the public.
However, the indispensable requirement of freedom of expression is the complete independence of newspapers and journalists.
Falling short to protect journalists and behaving the governments hessitant to prosecute the perpetrators of attacks on journalists encourage groups targeting freedom of expression.
Democracy is shaken from its foundations in a climate of increased fear, insecurity and anxiety due to the impunity for crimes against journalists.
International Journalists Association (IJA) took the first step with the magazine, named ‘Journalist Post’, to draw attention to the crimes committed against journalists in different geographies primarily including Turkey.
Besides the associations, foundations and trade unions established by the journalists, also the non-governmental organizations operating in the field of human rights supported the Journalist Post whose first issue will be published on November 2, 2020.
In this important project, the following organizations were with us with their support:
The Society for Threatened Peoples (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker/GbVF) Jailed Journos Truthfighters Association (Wahrheitskampfer Association) German Publishers Association (Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels) Turkey Journalists’ Union (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası) German Journalists Association (Deutsche Journalistinnen- und Journalisten-Union) Körber Stiftung
The first issue of our magazine is chock-full of… The articles of journalists who are detained in Turkey, in the country which turned into the biggest prison for the journalists, challenge against the violations of law. Each article will illuminate us like torches against the darkness of authoritarian regimes that love ignorance.
While you read from his diary, written in the prison, how journalist Mevlut Öztaş, who caught cancer in the prison he entered healthy, was dragged to death step by step you will be heartbroken.
No editorial intervention was made to the articles reflecting the opinions of each institution or author.
Our biggest dream is to publish the Journalist Post, the first issue will be published on November 2 to show that we are giving shoulder to shoulder with our colleagues who are currently held hostage after iron bars, in certain periods.
We set out with the aim of declaring that we stand by journalists who pay a price while performing their profession especially in Turkey and all over the world and that we are shoulder to shoulder with them.
The transformation of the Journalist Post into a platform of the professional resistance against the governments dreaming of authoritarianism depends on your dear readers’ support.
With your support to the IJA and the Journalist Post, you will also put another brick in the wall of the democracy fortress.
Hoping to meet in freer, healthier and happier days…
