International Conference on Press

Freedom and Labour Rights in Turkey

TGS Journalists Union of Turkey
IFJ - International Federation of Journalists
EFJ European Federation of Journalists
TGC Journalists Association of Turkey

Jailed journalists, threshold for collective

bargaining, no freelancers rights, refusals
of press cards, restrictions of
accreditation, growing prosecutions, less
freedom to publish...

Turkey: Fighting for journalists rights and freedoms in a

politically polarized country
17 and 18 September 2015 Istanbul
Conference languages:
Turkish and English
Conference venue:
Nippon Hotel Istanbul, Taksim
Contacts:
Turkey : tgs@tgs.org.tr
International : mehmet.koksal@ifj.org

Campaign to decriminalise Turkish Journalism , to free speech and protect work place rightsproject which receives the financial support of the European
Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Program managed by the European Commission.All responsibilities regarding the contents and the
actions belong to the authors only and should not be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union.

Thursday, 17 September 2015

08:30 9:00: Welcome coffee
09:00 10:00: Opening and welcome speeches by
Ugur Guc, TGS President (Journalists Union of Turkey)
Jim Boumelha, IFJ President (International Federation of Journalists)
Andreea Schmidt, Deputy Head of Section for Political Affairs, Press and Information of
the EU Delegation in Turkey
Turgay Olcayto, TGC President (Journalists Association of Turkey)
10:00 10:30: Keynote speakers
Can Dundar,editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet daily newspaper
From Charlie Hebdo cartoons to investigative reporting, how to run a daily newspaper and
digital media against oppressive political and judicial systems in Turkey? (draft)
10:30-10:45 : Question time
10:45-11:00: Coffee break
11:00 11:30 Presentation: Mustafa Kuleli, General Secretary of TGS
What the Journalists Union of Turkey has done for journalists since one year? TGS Annual
Report on Press Freedom and Labour Rights
11:30 13:30 Panel I: Campaigns onPress Freedom in Turkey, what is working and what
is not? moderator: Ugur Guc, TGS President
Hakki Boltan, representative from Free Journalists Association.Defending journalism in
Kurdish region and peace journalsm
Erol Onderoglu, Bianet-RSF,a Turkish experience on regular monitoring press freedom
issues. Methodology to cover imprisoned journalists and prosecuted journalists.
Yldz Tar (Kaos GL), Defending freedom of expression and reporting as LGBT journalist
Frederike Geerdink (Dutch reporter based in Diyarbakir), on the importance of solidarity
and trade unions in the work of foreign correspondents in Turkey.
Arne Knig (former EFJ President), on press trials monitoring and addressing the difficult
question on the divided journalistic community in the country.
Steven Ellis, IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications, Need to change Turkeys
criminal defamation/insult provisions

Campaign to decriminalise Turkish Journalism , to free speech and protect work place rightsproject which receives the financial support of the European
Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Program managed by the European Commission.All responsibilities regarding the contents and the
actions belong to the authors only and should not be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union.

13:30 14:30:Lunch
14:30 15:45 Panel II: Labour rights, recruitment and trade unionism in the Turkish media
sector. Moderator: Mehmet Koksal, EFJ Project Officer.
Sibel Gunes (TGC) Building effective alliances, uniting journalists, past experiences and
future projections.
Niyazi Dalyanc(TGC) What has been changed in Turkey's media after deunionization
years.
Gokhan Durmus (TGS Head of Istanbul branch) Confronting the challenges of
recruitment and signing new collective agreements in media outlets in Turkey.
Andrew Finkel (P24), What went wrong in the journalists community in Turkey which end
up divided ? What can reunite the journalists to defend ethical standards, investigative
reporting and get international attention?
Barry White (EFJ Steering Committee member), on the importance of labour rights issues
and the role of the trade union movement in terms of solidarity and union.
Sevda Karaca (TGS Women Commission) Representation of women in the media and
media organisations.
15:45 16:15: Coffee
16:15 17:45 Panel III: Turkey between elections, the new media environment for
journalists Keynote and moderator: Ragp Duran
Analysis from:
Aysenur Arslan (Halk TV)
Sirin Payzn (CNN Turk)
Kadri Gursel (Columnist)
Bars Ince (BirGun)
Burcu Karakas
18:30 Buffet sponsored by Swedish Embassy

Campaign to decriminalise Turkish Journalism , to free speech and protect work place rightsproject which receives the financial support of the European
Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Program managed by the European Commission.All responsibilities regarding the contents and the
actions belong to the authors only and should not be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union.

Friday, 18 September 2015

09:30 10:00: Welcome coffee

10:00 13:00: Closed group session
Group 1 Setting the recommendations and common media reform from the future
(summary of the debates of day 1)
Moderator : Oliver Money-Kyrle (IFJ Ass. General Secretary)
Group 2 Debate on harmonizing methodology and best practices among NGO's to
monitor press freedom issues in Turkey
moderator : Arzu Demir (TGS Recruitment Secretary)
Case study for discussion : What's the most accurate number of jailed journalists ?
with representative from:
TGC
EFJ-IFJ,
IPI, Kadri Gursel
Freedom House
CPJ
RSF
SEEMO
Council of Europe's Platform
Index on Censorship
Bianet
CGD,
OGC,
13:00 14:00: Closing remarks :publication of recommendations and common media
reform strategy.

Campaign to decriminalise Turkish Journalism , to free speech and protect work place rightsproject which receives the financial support of the European
Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Program managed by the European Commission.All responsibilities regarding the contents and the
actions belong to the authors only and should not be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union.