Reactions from Turkish Political Elements On New U.S. Ambassador's Criticism of Turkish Press Freedom

Six weeks after taking up his post, U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Francis J. Ricciardone criticized press freedom in Turkey. On February 15, 2011, he answered journalists' questions about his thoughts on the previous day's police raid of the Oda TV offices. His statements evoked strong reactions from Turkey's ruling party and opposition.

The Turkish Journalists' Association had called the raid on Oda TV an example of "intolerance" toward journalists in the country, saying "Free press is being intimidated in Turkey."[1]

The following report focuses on the reactions to Ambassador Ricciardone's statements, as well as on the U.S. State Department's response.

In further developments, on March 3, 2011, the Associated Press reported on the February 24 arrests of journalists in Turkey. According to the report, the raid is an expansion of the crackdown on Oda TV.

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"Free Press Vital for Turkey" Says U.S. Ambassador Ricciardone

Ambassador Ricciardone said at a reception in Ankara on February 15, 2011 that he did not understand how Turkish journalists could be detained while both the government and the opposition talk about the importance of freedom of speech.

Speaking to journalists who asked him his thoughts on the recent police raid of the Oda TV offices and the detention of four journalists, among them the prominent oppositionist journalist Soner Yalcin, Ricciardone said: "Turkey wants a free press. The Turkish people want a critical press even if it is a dissident one. The opposition parties and the government say they support freedom of the press. We are following the process closely. Journalists are being detained on the one hand, while addresses about freedom of the speech are given on the other. We do not understand this. The Turkish people's opinion is important. That is why we are asking you."

The ambassador added that freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and independent and transparent judicial process are vital for democracies.[2]

AKP Attacks U.S. Ambassador Over His Words on "Freedom of the Press" in Turkey

Officials from Turkey's ruling AKP party were highly critical of what they termed Ambassador Riccardione's "interference" in domestic affairs.

On February 16, Huseyin Celik, the deputy chairman and the spokesman of the ruling AKP, told reporters, "Ambassadors cannot interfere in our domestic issues or design our internal policies. They have certain limits that are drawn. Whether this is the U.S. or the Russian ambassador, they have to adhere to their limits and not cross them."

Celik went on to criticize the journalists for "posing such questions to a foreign Ambassador" in the first place. He said, "Why do you ask questions? I mean, why do you ask questions to irrelevant people?"

Ricciardone's words also drew reaction from Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc, who told reporters, also on February 16, that the U.S. envoy in fact "had praised Turkey's democratization process" during a meeting with him the previous day. Arinc added that the Ambassador must have been "influenced by the media (coverage)."[3]

Main Opposition Party CHP Supports U.S. Ambassador's Observation

Turkey's main opposition expressed approval of Ricciardone's statements on press freedom in Turkey. Osman Koruturk, deputy leader of CHP (Republican People's Party) said, "The mission of the envoys is to closely follow the developments in the countries they are appointed to and inform their governments. When needed, the ambassadors also express openly their opinions. Is it possible for him not to make any observations when these things are happening?"

Koruturk said that the U.S. envoy's observation is shared by the ambassadors from other countries as well, and added, "We are a candidate country to the European Union. It's very normal for the ambassadors of EU countries and other countries to speak out about the deficiencies in terms of democracy and human rights."[4]

U.S. State Dept: "We Stand By Ambassador Ricciardone's Remarks" on Press Freedom in Turkey; Turkish FM Davutoglu: "It's Wrong For an Ambassador to Pass Judgment on an Ongoing Criminal Investigation"; Turkish Interior Minister: "Our Press Freer Than America's

On February 16, 2011, the U.S. State Department said that it was standing by the ambassador's statements.

"We stand by the ambassador's statement," U.S. State Department Philip J. Crowley told reporters in Washington. "We do have broad concerns about trends involving intimidation of journalists in Turkey, and we have raised that directly with the Turkish government and we'll continue to do so," he added.

According to a Washington analyst familiar with U.S.-Turkish relations, Ricciardone's remarks directly reflected President Barack Obama's and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's positions on press and Internet freedom.

"We believe strongly in the right to express your opinions, the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly that allows people to share their grievances with the government and to express themselves in ways that hopefully will over time meet their needs" Obama said Tuesday about Internet freedom.

On February 17, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told journalists in Nepal: "We believe that it is wrong for an ambassador to pass judgment on an ongoing criminal investigation." He added that Ankara's views had been communicated to Ricciardone by Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu on February 16. He also said that Ricciardone had made no formal appeal over the issue of freedom of media during the phone conversation with Sinirlioğlu late that day. Davutoglu told the reporters that Ricciardone had told Sinirlioglu that he not have the intention of interfering in Turkey's domestic affairs and that he did not yet have sufficient experience on such matters.

Asked to comment on Ricciardone's initial statement, Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay told reporters on February 17: "With regard to press freedom, it's much better in Turkey than in the United States." He did not say on what grounds he made the comparison. Atalay said that the recently passed Press Code in Turkey was a very good one that allowed the country's press to enjoy rights that do not exist in many other democratic countries. "With its vibrant print media, television channels, newspapers and Internet [sites], Turkey enjoys press freedom to the full extent. In this sense, Turkey has no problems," he said.

Reiterating that press freedom in Turkey is much more developed than in other democratic countries, Atalay said that he could say this because "I know the others' [level of press freedom]."[5]

Turkish PM Calls U.S. Envoy a "Rookie Ambassador"

In reaction to Ambassador Ricciardone's comments, on February 18 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called him a "rookie ambassador," saying, "He does not know Turkey; (he is) clueless about what is what; which laws there are; and then he walks into a trap and makes a statement. First wait, research, ask to learn what it is that the judiciary will do, learn about the outcome. This is what is called 'being a rookie ambassador.' It is inexperience," Erdogan told his party members.

According to the Turkish media, the previous day Ricciardone had stepped back from his initial comments February 17, saying that he had not commented on the merits of a particular case and that being a foreigner he did not understand certain things that are complicated, and added that he "was trying to understand."[6]