Garo Paylan comments on issue of media freedom in Turkey

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Ethnic Armenian lawmaker of the Turkish parliament Garo Paylan touched upon the issue of media freedom in Turkey, reports Armenpress.

He criticized all pro-governmental newspapers on Twitter. Paylan presented Sabah, Yeni Shafak, Milliyet Turkiye, Star newspapers in the parliament and criticized them.

“At present, press in Turkey has two directions: either it must praise the sultan or be free. But the free press has its price and difficulties, such as violence, restrictions in advertisement and arrests”, the lawmaker said.

Garo Paylan noted that any force which is not being criticized makes mistakes.

“They [authorities] want the people not to read newspapers, not to criticize and ask questions, but this first of all harms Erdogan because any force which is not subject to criticism, makes mistakes”, he said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan