Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan\u2019s hostility to the media is not new. In the later years of the Justice and Development Party government, the majority of the domestic media has been intimidated into silence. Now, a new and disturbing pattern of targeted verbal attacks by the Prime Minister towards foreign journalists is emerging.<\/p>\n
Since the Gezi protests of last summer, Prime Minister Erdo\u011fan has accused the foreign media and various outside interest groups of organizing and manipulating unrest in the country. He has also blamed foreign-based conspiracies for being behind the corruption allegations against his family and ministers.<\/p>\n
After last month\u2019s mine disaster in Soma which killed 301 people, Mr. Erdo\u011fan claimed<\/a> that a BBC Turkish Service reporter hired two actors to pose as relatives of dead miners. The women in question made a legal complaint about the accusation and the BBC, standing by its story, rejected the claim by the Prime minister as \u201cunfounded\u201d.<\/p>\n On 3 June, at his party\u2019s Parliamentary group meeting, the Prime Minister this time targeted CNN correspondent Ivan Watson, calling<\/a> him a henchman, a flunky and an agent. On 31st<\/sup> May, during the first anniversary of the Gezi protests, Watson was manhandled by the police, detained briefly and his live television reporting<\/a> cut short.<\/p>\n “He was caught red-handed. These people have nothing to do with a free, impartial, independent press. These people are literally executing their duties as agents. That’s why they are here.” Mr. Erdo\u011fan said. Amidst cheers from his deputies, the Prime Minister accused the international broadcaster of formenting unrest last year, too, by giving hours-long coverage to Gezi protests.<\/p>\n Like the BBC, CNN said that they stand unequivocally by their reporting from Turkey, describing it \u201cfair, factual and impartial\u201d.<\/p>\n The persistent disregard for the right of journalists to report freely is worrying enough but the accusation by the Prime minister that the foreign journalists are agents makes the chill factor all the more effective. \u00a0As well as adding to the climate of fear, it increases the risks posed to the personal safety of journalists working in Turkey. It also encourages the xenophobia already prevelant in Turkish society.<\/p>\n It is highly irresponsible and dangerous coming from the mouth of a person in high office.<\/p>\n