The Supreme Board of Press Council condemned daily Star for its news article titled “Coup E-Mail To The 761 Lieutenants” upon complaint by Secretary General of the General Staff  Gen. Ferit Güler.

The council decided that the said article had violated articles 4, 6, 9, 10 of the Code of Professional Ethics of the Press.

“Defamatory and stigmatizing”

The said news report had claimed that the five lieutenants who were taken into custody in connection with the Ergenekon case had held meetings in the headquarter houses and sent an e-mail, upon orders from the retired generals Hurşit Tolon and Şener Eruygur,  to all of their classmates, the 761 lieutenants, which said they had to do something.

The council ruled that this news report violated the principles of “Criticizing individuals and institutions cannot include defamatory, degrading and pejorative statements”, “nobody can be declared guilty without a court ruling”, “the activities declared unlawful cannot be ascribed to anyone unless there are reasonable causes”, and “news that can be investigated by the means of journalism cannot be published unless its accuracy is checked.”

Karaalioğlu did not reply the letter of the Council

Condemning the newspaper unanimously, the Council said Stars chief editor Mustafa Karaalioğlu did not reply the letter that they sent him on September 26.

The Council said that the news report did not give any sources and did not state whether or not any office or person was consulted regarding the accuracy of the news. 

The General Staff also applied to the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) to get daily Star condemned by them as well, but the TGC has not made a decision yet. (EÖ/EÜ/TB)