Exiled Turkish Journalist Abdulhamit Bilici to Present on “Freedom of Speech and the Crisis of Journalism in Turkey”
Turkey currently has more imprisoned journalists than any other country in the world. The crackdown on the anti-government media in Turkey continues since the coup attempt in July 2016 with detention of journalists, takeover of large media groups by pro-government businessmen through public bank loans, and government seizure of smaller size Kurdish and other media.
Today’s guest speaker Abdulhamit Bilici, will address lessons on freedom of the press in the Turkish case. The event will take place from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in St. Vincent Hall, Room 407 on Friday, April 20.
Bilici was the editor-in-chief of Zaman, when the Turkish government seized control of it in March 2016. Zaman was the highest circulating newspaper in Turkey at the time. Bilici has been in exile in the U.S. ever since. Bilici will present an insider’s view of what freedom of the press means and discuss the crisis of journalism in contemporary Turkey.
The talk is part of the Media Awareness Speakers Series and is sponsored by the departments of communication studies, interdisciplinary studies, history, and political science. For more information, please contact Dr. Mark Barner at barner@niagara.edu.