Turkish court says profane reports within limits of 'press freedom'

A local court in Ankara has dismissed an appeal to block reports including profanity and hate speech, apparently directed at a number of academics who had signed a petition calling for an end to the ongoing violence in Turkey's southeast, saying the reports were "within the scope of press freedom."   

The reports were within the boundaries of the freedom of press, the Ankara 2nd Criminal Court of Peace said in its refusal earlier this week, while arguing the press may make "comments" in its reports in order to make them "more striking."

The academics had appealed to the court, complaining their personal rights had been attacked by daily Yeni Akit newspaper and the newspaper's online portal, Akit Haber, in reports titled "Don't dwell on it, kick off these men" and "Certificated perverse." In the reports, phrases such as "gay lesbian professor," "certificated perverse," "Armenian lovers," "pro-protectorate" and "the bitch who called Muslims 'son of a bitch' is also a signatory," were directed towards the complainant academics, whose names were openly cited.

"Each sentence of the reports contains threats and insults against the clients and other signatories. In the entirety of both of the reports, language which disassociates with society and which aims to create enmity within society is being used. On the other hand, the clients' and other signatories' call for peace via the use of their most legitimate right is being criminalized," Seher K?rba? Caniko?lu, a lawyer for the academics, said in her appeal to the court.

The reports were published in criticism of some 1,128 local and international academics and intellectuals who last month issued a manifesto calling for end to military operations in southeast Turkey.

"In addition...