Nicosia, Cyprus. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman is set to veto a law passed last week by the Turkish Cypriot legislature that criminalised naming high-profile individuals appearing in court accused of crimes, according to reports on Wednesday.
Reports of a veto and return to the legislature
Newspaper Yeniduzen reported that Erhurman will send the law back to the legislature, which will then debate it again in the coming days.
Erhurman said last week that he was “closely following discussions” on the matter and that his office was set to “consult with all relevant parties and evaluate all opinions”. He added that, “in light of these evaluations, if deemed necessary, the presidency will not hesitate to exercise its constitutional powers, as it has done in previous instances,” hinting at a veto.
Penalties introduced by the law
The law introduced jail sentences for those, including journalists, who take and publish photographs of suspects in and around courtrooms, or who publish the names of defendants in the media or on social media. The maximum sentence is set at three months in prison or a fine amounting to four times the north’s monthly minimum wage.
The north’s monthly minimum wage is 60,618TL (€1,144), with the fine set at 243,272TL (€4,577).
Concerns raised by opposition and former leader
Opposition members warned that the law could have negative implications for press freedom. The CTP’s Sami Ozuslu said, “today, we boast that our journalists are not going to jail, but if this bill passes, the picture will change”.
“You are threatening them with prison. This will turn into an operation to silence journalists,” he added.
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci also opposed the bill after it was passed, saying “one cannot remain neutral on issues such as democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press and expression”.
“Not taking a stand on such matters draws the colour out of matters and fuels an appetite for deep darkness. A society where the press is silenced by fear cannot have a bright future,” he said.
How do you think the legislature should balance court reporting and press freedom?
