June 4, 2014

04/06/2014: TURKEY – NEW CASE

Vienna, 04/06/2014

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), is alarmed at the activities of the Turkish police against CNN reporter Ivan Watson. Istanbul police interrupted on Saturday 31 May, a live CNN International broadcast.

Watson was reporting on Saturday live on air from Istanbul, Turkey, covering the anniversary of mass anti-government demonstrations that took place in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, when he was detained and kicked by police there who demanded to see his passport and press card. After being detained for 30 minutes, Watson and his TV crew was released and the officer who kicked him apologized.

SEEMO is worried in particular by the fact, that the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called CNN reporter “agent” for his coverage of protests. “The media from abroad that came to Istanbul and made exaggerated, provocative calls were licking their paws. One of them was that CNN flunky,” Erdogan told members of his AK party in parliament in a speech aired live. Erdogan has repeatedly in the past accused the foreign media of having a hand in the protests

More also on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS0-WLxc52o