Ethics Newsline®

ISTANBUL
The Turkish government last week ordered the temporary shutdown of a television station for airing highly critical reports of the government’s handling of earthquake recovery efforts.

The station, Kanal 6, was one of six national television stations targeted in a press crackdown meant to silence stations for criticizing public officials, especially Turkish health minister Osman Durmus.

The stations had castigated Durmus for reportedly rejecting offers of help from Turkey’s political enemies, Armenia and Greece, the Reuters news agency reported.

Press-rights groups decried the move as censorship, accusing the government of quashing criticism of its efforts to restore public order after a severe earthquake hit Turkey earlier this month, killing at least 12,000 people.

But prime minister Bulent Ecevit said that the press crackdown was necessary to preserve public morale after the disaster, according to the Anatolian news agency.

“It is the duty of the media to express people’s criticisms, complaints, and their misery, but [the targeted stations] are going too far”, Ecevit insisted, according to the Reuters report.

“At this time our people need a morale boost, so upsetting stories should be avoided,” Ecevit said.

Kanal 6 said it will appeal the government’s order.