BASIN-SEN: Journalism Is Not a Crime!

In a written statement regarding the incident, BASIN-SEN criticized the treatment of journalists who were reportedly prevented from doing their jobs by police intervention.

The statement explained that on the morning of the incident, journalists were at the school to report on the classroom lockouts and to cover a statement by the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers' Union. However, they were subjected to what BASIN-SEN described as “illegal police intervention” upon the request of the school principal.

Criticizing the principal’s actions, the union said, “The principal of Bekirpaşa High School acted in a manner unbecoming of a public official and inconsistent with democratic principles. Behaving as if the school were private property, he attempted to expel the press from the premises. This presumptuous and authoritarian attitude not only paved the way for the violation of constitutional rights but also enabled arbitrary police intervention.”

According to BASIN-SEN, the police prevented journalists from carrying out their duties and filed a charge under “Illegal Entry to Property and/or Trespassing.”

The union also noted that their legal representative, attorney Cansu N. Nazlı, was threatened by some police officers after going to the police station. She was reportedly told that she could not make an unauthorized statement and was warned that action could be taken against her.

BASIN-SEN emphasized that Article 26 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of the press and stated that this is not only a right but also a freedom that the state is obliged to protect. Citing Article 24, the statement added that press freedom is intertwined with freedom of expression and cannot be subject to prior approval or interference by any official authority.

Referring to Article 10 of the Constitution, BASIN-SEN reminded authorities of the state’s obligation to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms, asserting that the İskele Police had not fulfilled this duty and had in fact violated it.

At the end of the statement, the union called on Police Chief Kasım Kuni to immediately launch an investigation into all officers who violated the constitution, abused their authority, and attempted to intimidate journalists. “The rule of law is upheld not with words, but with action,” the union stressed.

BASIN-SEN concluded its statement by reiterating, “Once again, we declare: Journalism is not a crime.”