On the case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye

B100098/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye

(2024/2856(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Türkiye,

having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas on May 6, 2023, Bülent Mumay was sentenced to 20 months in prison for "spreading personal data" and for his social media posts about a pro-government construction company's alleged seizure of Istanbul Municipality's subway funds in the period of the previous administration,

B.whereas a Turkish court ordered to block access to his tweet, which alleged that the contractors were government-affiliated,

C.whereas on August 20, 2024, an appeals court upheld the 20-month prison sentence, and ordered the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) to block access to news reports about the upheld prison sentence,

D.whereas the charges against Bülent Mumay include illegally obtaining or disseminating personal data, and appear to be only an attempt to silence critical journalism,

E.whereas several press organizations have condemned the recent sentence, citing it as a grave assault on press freedom,

F.whereas Bülent Mumay was also arrested and later released in 2016 in the days following the coup attempt in Türkiye,

G.whereas Türkiye ranks 158th in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index,

1.Is deeply concerned for the conviction of journalist Bülent Mumay following his press investigations and social media posts criticizing the seizure of municipal funds by a pro-government company,

2.Deplores the decision by Turkish appeals court to uphold the 20-month prison sentence and to order the blocking of access to related news reports,

3.Calls for the revision of the sentence and for the immediate release of Bülent Mumay, in the patent absence of solid legal charges, in line with Türkiye’s international and constitutional obligations;

4.Considers that the sentence on Bülent Mumay follows a broader pattern of judicial harassment targeting independent journalists, activists and opposition members in Türkiye, where legal intimidation, censorship, and financial coercion are often reported as ways to suppress criticism and investigative press,

5.Recalls its previous positions condemning the prosecution, censorship and harassment of journalists and independent media in Türkiye;

6.Calls again on the Turkish authorities to respect press freedoms in accordance with international standards and to let journalists practise its profession freely, as this provides for an overall healthier democracy and society;

7.Continues to condemn the lack of independence of the prosecution and judiciary and the political instrumentalisation of the judicial system in Türkiye;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the Council and the Commission; asks that this resolution be translated into Turkish and forwarded to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Türkiye.