MHP proposes censorship of street interviews

After AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan targeted street interviews, the MHP took action.

MHP submitted a bill to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly to prevent the work of people who do not have a press card or who are not accredited under an institutional identity from conducting "street interviews."

MHP Deputy Chairman Responsible for Media, Communication and Digital Media İsmail Özdemir made the following statement on his social media account:

"In recent years, some activities carried out under the name of 'street interview' have been increasingly organized with pre-prepared scenarios and scenes. The purpose of the content carried out in this manner is not to obtain or spread correct information; but to create unrest in society, to direct the public to hatred and resentment, to disrupt public order and to create disinformation. Such interviews, especially those carried out on social media, are carried out by people who are not affiliated with any press organization or who do not have a press card. However, press activity is subject to certain ethical rules, professional principles and institutional control. It is not possible to evaluate such activities carried out by unauthorized persons within the scope of freedom of the press. With the bill we submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly, it is aimed to control these activities carried out under the name of street interview, to ensure that they are carried out only by authorized persons and that those who act contrary to the rules face penal sanctions. Our intention with the regulation is to protect the reputation of the press profession, to preserve social peace and to prevent information pollution."

ERDOĞAN'S 'STREET INTERVIEW' STATEMENT

AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speech at the 10th Anatolian Media Awards, had said the following about street interviews: “Everyone who holds a microphone and a camera thinks they are a journalist, our people are openly provoked on the streets. Especially under the name of ‘street interviews’, terror is being spread on the streets. So much so that those who grab the microphone find the audacity to insult the people.”

Source: DHA