German journalist slams 'anti-Turkish' propaganda

ANKARA

A German journalist on Tuesday said he was "disgusted" with his country’s news coverage of Turkish people protesting against the deadly July 15 coup attempt.

"German journalists failed to the ethical and moral standards of journalism while they have been reporting about Turkey in the recent for days, weeks, months and years," German freelance journalist Martin Lejeune said in an exclusive letter to Anadolu Agency.

"It is disgusting how the German media report about Turkey in general and about the rally of the Friends of Turkish Democracy on Sunday in Cologne in particular," Lejeune said.

On Sunday, thousands of Turks living in Germany gathered in Cologne to condemn the coup attempt, which claimed more than 230 lives and injured nearly 2,200 people.

"For the first time, I am really ashamed - as a German journalist - for most of the journalists of Germany who publish such dishonoring and dishonest reports as I could have never imagined," Lejeune said.

He said one of Germany’s largest daily newspapers, "Der Tagesspiegel", described the Turkish protesters as "women, children and fascists".

"I was present at the rally and I did not see Fascists," Lejeune said, adding that German media coverage consisted of anti-Turkish propaganda.

Local German paper Kölner Stadtanzeiger covered the protest as "Erdogan Supporter scream for the death penalty in Turkey".

"There were only a few people who called once or twice during a four hours’ event for the death penalty. No need to create such a headline, " he said.

Germany’s leading newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung published the headline "Not even clowns wish to travel to Turkey anymore."

Berliner Zeitung also published the article entitled
 "They will remain barbarians" on the day after the demonstration.

Austrian newspaper ÖSTERREICH quoted the front news page title as "Turks threaten Chancellor Kern". "It sounds like all Turks are a threat to the prime minister of Austria," Lejeune said.

German tabloid "BZ" published the headline on Tuesday: "Erdogan is a blackmailer!"

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who narrowly escaped a potential assassination during the night of the deadly putsch, has criticized the West over its lack of support for his country in the wake of the coup attempt.

"It is ridiculous how obvious the German press spreads harassment against the elected head of state of the Turkish Republic," Lejeune said.

"This is lying and spreading false facts about Turkey that just defended successfully it’s democracy.

"These terrible lies about the brave people of Turkey and the country [whose] people proved their will of freedom, have to stop," Lejeune added.