#direnmedya, Journalists of Turkey Stage Resistance Campaign

 The Platform for Journalists’ Freedom (GÖP) formed by 94 press occupational organizations started a social media campaign titled "Diren Gazetecilik" [“Resist, Journalism”] on July 24 Journalists and Press Day celebrated since 2013 for Struggle for Press Freedom Day.

The hashtags #direngazetecilik, #basınözgürolsaydı [“if the press were free”] and #basınbayramı [“Press Bayram” or “Press Commemoration/Celebration Day”] will be shared over social media on July 24, especially between 11:00 - 11:30 am to draw attention to problems restricting freedom of the press and expression in Turkey.

Social media messages shared with these hashtags will be displayed in the site direngazetecilik.org.

"The media is trying to stay alive"

GÖP referred to Press Day’s history of 106 years in its declaration, saying: "Today as well, we are going through a period where journalists and the media need freedom to continue to exist, and the public needs free media to stay informed.”

The declaration stressed the journalists arrested, laid off, lacking job safety, obstructed, targeted by political powers, forced into self-censorship, and added that Turkey cannot have a Press Bayram so long as these conditions persevere.

“Free media is an indispensable part of democracy. Countries where the media is not free do not deserve to be called democracies," the statement read. (EA/PU)