6th Gathering in Istanbul for Freedom of Expression

The 6th Gathering in Istanbul for Freedom of Expression is taking place starting tomorrow (22 May).

National and international rights organisations and activists are convening for three days of events organised by the Initiative against Crimes of Thought.

Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), International PEN, Human Rights Common Platform (İHOP), the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, bianet, and many other organisations are supporting the gathering.

Representatives of twelve countries, including Turkey, will be discussing freedom of expression, with a special focus this year on countries bordering the Black Sea.

Day 1

On Saturday, 23 May, a global meeting at the Bilgi University Dolapdere campus will be held under the title "Freedom of Expression under Threat of Discrimination in Democratic Societies."

Bilgi University's law faculty dean Prof. Turgut Tarhanlı will open the day, and from 10.30 am onwards, sixteen "witnesses from Turkey" will give presentations.

Between 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm, representatives of international NGOs will present: Andrew Gardner, the Turkey rapporteur for AI, Emma Sinclair Webb, Turkey rapporteur for HRW, Eugene Schoulgin, general secretary of International PEN, and Alexis Krikorian, director for publishing freedom from the International Publishers Association (IPA).

Between 2.30 pm and 5.00 pm, a panel moderated by Prof. Tarhanlı will discuss "Discriminatory expressions, the threat of discrimination via the computer and freedom of expression".

Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kaboğlu, Assoc. Prof. Yaman Akdeniz, Assist. Prof. Asuman A. İnceoğlu and Assist. Prof. Kerem Altıparmak will take part in the panel.

Day 2

The following day will be dedicated to freedom of expression in countries bordering the Black Sea, under special consideration of terrorism and armed conflict.

E. Murat Sunar, retired ambassador and former Aide to the General Secretary of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, will open the day with a speech at 10.00 am. Then eleven guests from Black Sea countries will present their testimonies, accompanied by video summaries.

From 1.30 pm to 5.00 pm, there will be a panel entitled "Discriminatory discourses and freedom of expression in the media of Black Sea countries". Representatives from NGOs from Black Sea countries will speak, and the panel will be moderated by Assoc. Prof. Yaman Akdeniz. (EÖ/AG)

For a video summary of previous gatherings, please visit http://www.antenna-tr.org/istanbul/guncel.asp?feox=48&lgg=en

More information can be obtained by calling 0216 492 0504 or 0216 532 7545.