Press freedom organisations have taken up the case of Turkish newspaper columnist Kadri Gürsel who was fired over a tweet critical of the country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Gürsel, regarded as one of Turkey’s most respected journalists, not least for his campaigning on freedom of expression, was dismissed from the Istanbul-based Milliyet on Thursday 23 July.

The day before Gürsel had posted a tweet saying: “It is shameful that foreign leaders call and console the person who is the number one cause of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terror in Turkey” (according to Hurriyet’s translation).

It implied that it was the policy of “the person” (Erdoğan’) was partly responsible for the suicide bombing of a cultural centre in Suruç, near Turkey’s border with Syria in which 30 people were killed.

Milliyet issued a statement saying Gürsel’s “stance... damaged our co-working environment.” It accused Gürsel of violating journalistic ethics and displaying a “subversive attitude.” He had been writing for Milliyet since 1998.

The International Press Institute (IPI) and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), responded by saying they were deeply troubled by the firing of Gürsel, who is IPI’s Turkish national committee president.

IPI executive director Barbara Trionfi said: “It is extremely disheartening to see one of Turkey’s most important voices... dismissed from his job for expressing his opinion about a matter of utmost public interest.

“Kadri Gürsel’s firing is an indication of how narrow the space for independent journalism in Turkey has become and is yet another sign that the Turkish government appears unable to view criticism as anything but a threat that must be immediately silenced.”

SEEMO’s secretary general Oliver Vujovic said: “Kadri is one of the most highly respected columnists and media professionals in Turkey and is well-known for his critical views. Turkey needs journalists like Kadri. He was fired for criticising President Erdoğan on Twitter, which amounts to a clear attack on freedom of expression.”

In 2012, Milliyet fired Ece Temelkuran after she had written articles critical of the government and then Nuray Mert after Erdoğan criticised her.



In 2013, Milliyet fired two columnists, Hasan Cemal and Can Dündar, who had taken critical stances against the government.

A special report on Turkey by IPI in March 2015, “Democracy at risk”, highlighted the willingness of government officials, especially Erdoğan, to pressure media outlets, as is suspected to have occurred in Gürsel’s case.

It noted: “Recent years have seen not only raids on media houses, but telephone calls to media owners and editors directing how issues are to be covered or calling for the firing of critical voices.”

Sources: AP via TimesDaily/IPI/Hurriyet