Criticism of Dogan Media Group tax fine grows in Germany
13.09.2009: Turkish Daily News
BERLIN - Mahmut TOSUN
Doğan News Agency
A German politician known for strong links to Turkey condemned a $2.5 billion tax and fine levied against the Doğan Media Group over the weekend, the comments coming the same day as an editorial in America’s New York Times called the tax, "a clear assault on the press.”
In Germany, Claudia Roth, co-chairperson of the German Green Party, declared during a campaign stop in Kreuzberg that that the tax is "a direct violation of freedom of the press and freedom of expression.” Roth added that she believed the tax was a politically initiated decision. "If they are found guilty, they have to pay. But these fines should be within the democratic framework,” Roth said. "So steep a fine can only be levied to wipe out a firm. I am not a lawyer, judge, or defendant, but this decision is a threatening development that seeks to bring an end to the variety of voices in the press.”
Roth said freedom of the press is not only violated by censorship but also by imposing financial pressure on media outlets that might lead to their closure.
The New York Times, meanwhile, noted some 14 journalists were murdered this year worldwide and 150 imprisoned. "Now Turkey has provided a particularly chilling example of another way to shut down independent voices,” the newspaper said and added, "a fine of $2.5 billion that appears to be designed to put a major media company out of business.”
The newspaper continued: "The media group, Dogan Yayin, is a widely respected conglomerate of newspapers and television stations including the Turkish-language version of CNN. Dogan journalists have not shied away from stories that the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s iron-willed prime minister, does not like. And Aydin Dogan, an owner of the media group’s parent company, is one of Mr. Erdogan’s most vocal critics. That makes it all the more suspicious that the Erdogan government levied a tax penalty on the Dogan group that is almost much as the value of the entire company.
In Germany, Roth offered a similar assessment.
"Attempting to destroy a firm by financial sanctions is another way of limiting press freedom. If one removes political rivals through financial sanctions, I believe this will be reflected in Turkey’s European Union progress report. A firm can get a tax fine, but these billion-dollar fines are unrealistic,” said Roth.
Arguing that Turkey has undertaken democratic reforms within the scope of the EU accession process, Roth said, "If politicians attempt to silence their critics with fines like this one, then the democratic process will certainly be set back.”
Christian Ströbele, the Green Party’s candidate from Kreuzberg, said the Green Party is in favor of Turkey’s accession to the EU in principle and recalled that freedom of the press is a core tenet of the EU.
"It is clear that press freedom is in danger in Turkey. With fines like this, an attempt is being made to shut down a firm. I don’t know Turkey’s laws, but the laws should be amended if necessary. I am not informed about the investigation, but these actions are an attempt to end the diversity of the press.”
German-Turkish deputy Özcan Mutlu said the tax fine violates the Copenhagen criteria since it limits press freedom. "If one analyzes the government’s case against the Doğan Media Group, then one realizes that this is the result of a political decision
