Without freedom of expression and the rule of law, no democracy can flourish.
Both are also closely linked to stability and prosperity, as I wrote in my recent blog on Ahmet Hakan.
So I was delighted to attend a conference, “Expression should be free”, organised in Istanbul on 19 October by P24, a platform for independent journalists in Turkey, and Article 19, a London-based organisation dedicated to freedom of expression. The event was also supported by The Guardian Foundation, which works to promote the freedom of the press.
Those speaking at the event included Doğan Akın, Editor of T24 Independent Internet Newspapers; Eren Keskin, Editor of Özgür Gündem; P24 President Hasan Cemal; Cumhuriyet Editor Can Dündar; Perihan Mağden of Nokta; and Zaman Editor Abdülhamit Bilici.
As I said in my earlier blog: “All of us, whether politicians, diplomats or representatives of the media, should continue to state clearly and consistently our support for freedom of expression, without any ifs or buts; and our abhorrence of all forms of violence directed against the media – and the threats and intimidation that encourage it.”
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