What Happened to Media Ban After ISIS Released Refugees?

While the media ban on the ISIS raid to Turkey’s Consulate in Mosul is still underway, several news stories appeared on the Turkish media regarding the release of hostages. 

On September 22, CHP İstanbul deputy Umut Oran requested the lifting of the ban from Ankara Prosecutor’s Office as hostages were already released. According to Oran’s advisors, no progress have yet been made on the issue. 

Lawyer Fikret İlkiz, on the other hand, told bianet that the media ban per se was a “ban” and the ban on news coverage was “impracticable”. 

Banned until the ”investigation is complete"

Ankara 9^th High Criminal Court issued a media ban on June 16 on all visual, written and internet-based content on the investigation. 

While no investigation on Mosul raids have been completed, Turkey’s semi-official Anadolu Agency had several coverage on the release of ISIS’s hostages on September 20. 

What are the current media bans?

Only in 2014, the following are the media bans imposed by the government: 

* December 17 Corruption Probe,

* December 25 Corruption Probe,

* Investigation concerning the alleged voice recordings to former FM Ahmet Davutoğlu, MİT chief Hakan Fidan, Vice Military Chief Yaşar Güler and FM Advisor Feridun Sinirlioğlu on a potential military intervention to Syria,

* Investigation concerning a gendarmerie raid on truck on Adana-Ceyhan Highway [where MIT-provided weapons were found to be sent to Syrian rebels],

* Investigation concerning the finding of bugs in Erdoğan’s residences in Keçiören and Çankaya. 

* Investigation concerning the raid in Turkey’s Consulate to Mosul

Two previous bans lifted 

Prior to 2014, several media bans were imposed on the investigations concerning deadly blasts in Reyhanlı, Roboski Massacre, Deniz Feneri corruption case, soccer game fixing case, Ergenekon prosecution, Engin Çeber’s death case, hunger strikes and news related to high security prisons and abduction of 8 soldiers in Hakkari’s Dağlıca district by PKK. 

Out of these, only the lifting of media on Reyhanlı blasts were shared with the public. (EA/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.