The case of Bülent Mumay in Türkiye

The European Parliament condemns the 20-month prison sentence given to Turkish journalist Bülent Mumay for social media posts. This sentence, upheld by an appeals court, is seen as part of a wider pattern of silencing critical journalism and suppressing press freedom in Türkiye. This resolution specifically addresses the case of Bülent Mumay, a journalist for Deutsche Welle's Turkish service. It also expresses concern for other journalists, media workers, political opponents, and human rights defenders facing similar pressures in Türkiye. The Parliament highlights that Türkiye's legal framework, including laws on social media, anti-money laundering, disinformation, and a planned 'foreign agent regulation', is used to control and silence journalists. It criticizes the lack of judicial independence and the political use of the justice system. The resolution calls on Turkish authorities to drop charges against Mumay and others, restore judicial independence, and respect press freedom. It also urges the EU to support trial observations and raise these cases with Turkish officials.