Turkey marks World Press Freedom Day amid rising concerns over liberties

Turkey has silently marked World Press Freedom Day, a day dedicated to defending independent media and paying tribute to journalists who have suffered consequences due to their journalistic activities, amid rising concerns over diminishing editorial freedoms in the country. 

The U.N. General Assembly in 1993 proclaimed May 3 as "World Press Freedom Day" in order to benefit from the opportunity to remind citizens across the world of censorship and intimidation of the press and attacks and harassment targeting journalists, editors and publishers. 

The U.N. also considers the day a call on governments across the globe to respect press freedoms and is holding a two-day conference in Helsinki to create room for debate.

Turkish press members also marked the day, albeit in a low-key manner, as members of the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) gathered in front of Galatasaray High School on central ?stiklal Avenue in Istanbul for a press briefing.

TGS chair U?ur Güç read a joint statement and claimed that all rights and freedoms, in addition to freedom of expression, have been suspended in Turkey.

"We are being threatened, insulted, beaten and arrested for reporting. But despite these [obstacles] we do not give up on attempting to reveal the truth," Güç said, stressing they took to the streets on World Press Freedom Day in spite of attempts to make journalism a crime. He also called for the release of imprisoned journalists. 

Main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) deputy chair Çetin Osman Budak released a statement to celebrate May 3 and underlined that to create a healthy and functioning democracy, citizens must have freedom to information and the press must be free. 

CHP Secretary-General Kamil Okyay...