The "government" has brought forward three amendments to the "legislation" to restrict freedoms in the occupied territories and adds that if these amendments are passed by the "parliament", it will be considered an "offence" to make any comments and criticisms by the media and social media.
According to the Press and Information Office, the T/C press reports that an amendment to the "criminal code" will make it an "offence" to cause "displeasure or even coldness" towards the "president of the republic" andand a lawsuit can be filed against someone who "mocked" the "president of the republic". Based on these "vague concepts", as Yeni Douzen comments, many criticisms and comments in the media and on social media will be considered an offence.
According to another new regulation in the "criminal code", anyone who promotes "malicious" publications will be considered to have committed a "criminal offence" and may be subject to a prison sentence of up to five years.
According to the "law", it will also be considered an offence to "disrupt relations" between Turkey and the pseudo-state.
Reactions
The president of the T/C Bar Association, Hassan Esendagli, said that they will definitely take action in reaction to this development. In a post on the MDC, he said that while they expect all articles providing for punishment for freedom of thought and expression to be removed from the "laws", "look at the bill sent to the parliament of the TRNC in May 2022!!! The examples we are getting are not okay at all. It's fascist, regressive and cowardly and whoever wrote this and whoever passed it and whoever implemented it."
In a post of his own, PTK chairman Tufan Erhurman said that "freedoms in this country are not a game you can use to secure with threats of offence and punishment the prestige you cannot secure with democratic methods".
He noted that he is wrong if he thinks he can protect the prestige of the "president" with threats of offence and punishment and absurd legal words like "resentment, coldness and object of ridicule".
The press workers' guild[/B] (BASIN-SEN) also reacted to the issue, which in a written statement stressed that it would oppose the "amendment of the penal code". Guild president Ali Kishmir described the "amendment" as an attempt by the "government" to please Ankara and impose its "laws" on the community.
The Union of Turkish Cypriot Journalists pointed out that the "amendment" demonstrated that the aim is an "oppressive administration". A statement by the association's board of directors expressed concern and strong condemnation that the new "government" went to work with further steps to restrict freedom of expression and thought, at a time when efforts were being made to remove the obstacles that existed before freedom of thought and expression.
It is noted that this action at a time when there are so many problems awaiting solution in the country shows that the "government" is targeting an oppressive administration that is not reconciled with society, but punishes society and annihilates the environment for criticism.
The union calls a red line for freedom of expression itself
and concludes by warning that if the "bills" are not withdrawn it will take its struggle to other platforms.
No opinion in hubris and insult, Tatar declares
Important and necessary for individuals and the quality of the societies they form, the Turkish Cypriot leader described freedom of thought in exclusive remarks to journalist Hassan Hasturer of the Kipris newspaper.
Asked to comment on freedom of thought and expression as issues of current concern, Ersin Tatar asserted: "I consider freedom of thought in the TRNC, in the Turkish Cypriot community, as a very important value that must be protected. But, to see as freedom of expression the insults and insults that target and insult individuals is disrespectful to freedom."
Asked if he tolerates the criticisms he receives, Tatar replied in the affirmative and that he has absolutely no problem with criticism. "In criticism there is an opinion. In insult and insult there is no opinion," he said.
Asked if going to "justice" is not a suppression of freedom of expression, Tatar replied that he has not denounced anyone and has not "prosecuted" anyone for expressing a different opinion. He said that he can tolerate insults and insults against his person, but it is not possible to tolerate insults, insults and insulting posts against him as "president of democracy."
Asked if he is satisfied with relations with Ankara, he replied that of course he is satisfied. Referring to the "economic cooperation protocol" and the reactions to it, Tatar said that if you do your homework on time, no one will remind you of it.
Asked whether Turkish Cypriots are the ones most negatively affected by the non-solution of the Cyprus problem, Ersin Tatar recalled the saying that the Cyprus problem is a long struggle and needs patience. He argued that the international community bears the greatest responsibility for the non-resolution of the Cyprus problem and claimed that the Republic of Cyprus came under the occupation of the Greek Cypriot community on 21 December 1963 and lost its constitutional identity.
"The world did not see the Greek Cypriot administration of the Republic of Cyprus ignoring this occupation," he claimed and concluded by saying that even though there are problems created by the "embargoes", "we are standing with the support of the motherland Turkey. We do not kneel and we do not accept the solution of the Cyprus problem with content that cannot be accepted."
Source: GMP
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