The EU views with concern attempts to undermine the freedom of expression and pluralism of media in the Turkish Cypriot community, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi said in a written answer to a question by Cypriot MEPs Demetris Papadakis (S&D), Lefteris Christoforou (PPE), Loucas Fourlas (PPE), Costas Mavrides (S&D), Giorgos Georgiou (The Left), Niyazi Kizilyürek (The Left) about that fact that Ali Kismir, President of the Turkish Cypriot journalists’ trade union, who was recently denied entry by Turkey, now faces the prospect of years in prison in Cyprus’ Turkish-occupied areas.
Várhelyi said, according to a press release issued by Papadakis, that media freedom and pluralism is an essential Union principle, and the Union’s toolbox to defend it and promote it, both within its borders and in its external policy, is being reinforced.
He noted that granting permission to foreign nationals to enter a country’s territory is a national competence. The Commission is therefore not able to examine actions of third countries conducted as part of security checks in individual cases, he added.
Moreover, he said that the Commission is aware of the case of Dr. Okan Dagli, journalist Ali Kismir, as well as of Dr. Ahmet Cavit An and Ali Bizden, who have been denied entry into Turkey since July 2021.
The Commission is also aware that Kismir was notified in February 2022 that he would face a “criminal trial” in the Turkish Cypriot community for “insulting and defaming the security forces” due to an article he wrote in 2020, the EU Commissioner noted.
He said that as part of the Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, the EU has funded the grant project “Stronger, Freer, More Ethical Journalism” implemented by the Turkish Cypriot journalists’ association.
The main objective of this project is to strengthen the capacity of journalists and media institutions to promote and defend press freedom and fundamental human rights in the Turkish Cypriot community.
The EU-funded grant project “Human Rights Platform” is currently monitoring freedom of expression as a fundamental right. Media literacy and ethical journalism, as well as human rights in general, are priorities of an EU-funded call for proposals to support Cypriot civil society with a strong emphasis on bi-communal civil society projects. This call for proposals was launched in March 2022, Várhelyi concluded.
Source: Cyprus News Agency