ANKARA
France should cease its attacks on freedom of the press and irresponsible accusations about Turkey’s top news outlet, Anadolu Agency, a top Turkish official said Wednesday.
On Twitter, Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun asked, “Why does Anadolu Agency's news bother France?” after France accused the agency of being “propagandistic” and “attacking France in a deceptive and slanderous manner.”
“Why does France, which has become the center of opposition to Islam and systematic discrimination against Muslims, target freedom of the press and opinion? What are you afraid of?” said Altun.
Pourquoi donc les informations de l’Agence Anatolie dérangent-elles autant?
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) April 28, 2021
Nous le demandons…
C’est donc cela votre conception de la liberté de la presse? https://t.co/nqrQWgLrrn
“We see that France continues its exclusionary and repressive policy towards Muslims in media outlets,” he added.
Calling on France to stop fueling Islamophobia through government bodies, Altun said: “End the pressure on Anadolu Agency.”
False claims
Paris early Wednesday lashed out at Anadolu Agency with baseless accusations and inaccurate characterizations.
In a statement on social media, France's Interministerial Committee for the Prevention of Crime and Radicalization (CIPDR) claimed that Anadolu Agency is a "propagandistic body" that uses opinion pieces to "attack France in a deceptive and slanderous manner."
But contrary to these claims, the agency, as an international news agency, informs the international public as part of freedom of expression based on the principle of objective media coverage.
Additionally, the opinions expressed in the agency's news and publications, especially regarding French politics, are full of citations to French academics, journalists, and analysts.
France's discriminatory policies against Muslims are also often covered by other world media outlets. For instance, The New York Times recently published a story about police in Albertville, France, holding four 10-year-old children in custody for more than 11 hours on false allegations that they "defended terrorism."
The CIPDR is affiliated with the minister delegate in charge of citizenship, attached to France’s interior minister.
Anadolu Agency informs public responsibly
Rebuffing the allegations, Serdar Karagoz, Anadolu Agency's chairman and director-general, said the agency continues to tell its subscribers in 13 languages about the attacks faced by France’s Muslim and Turkish community as part of its policy of objective coverage.
A bill on “separatism” in France’s parliament and French policies carried out in the name of fighting terrorism has been closely followed not only by the agency but also by the media worldwide, and has faced much criticism, Karagoz stressed.
"In this respect, Anadolu Agency has fulfilled its duty of informing the public properly," he said, adding that like every media outlet, the agency has an opinion section for the free expression of ideas.
In its news coverage, the agency gives both parties a voice, he said, adding that through its coverage of France's official statements for its readers, they always know about Paris’ latest moves.
"In our news articles, the views of all parties are always covered within the framework of the principles of journalism. Even though France may not like developments and views, world-class journalism prioritizes the public good and seeks the public interest.
"It is unacceptable that France's public broadcasters, who accuse Turkey of violating freedom of the press at all times and on every platform, question the journalism of Anadolu Agency, which serves the public's freedom of information," said Karagoz.
"I condemn the CIPDR's claims and the broadcasts of French public channel France 5 targeting the agency.”
Caroline Roux’s controversial documentary Erdogan: The Sultan Who Defies Europe, which aired this March on public broadcaster France 5, claimed that Anadolu Agency "produced fake news about France" and that "everything was done to paint France as Islamophobic."
The CIPDR also targeted Marwan Mohammed, former head of the Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), an anti-racist group the government outlawed and dissolved.
Controversial bill
Last year President Emmanuel Macron proposed a controversial bill allegedly meant to fight so-called "Islamist separatism."
The bill has been criticized for targeting the Muslim community and proposing new restrictions on almost every aspect of their lives.
It provides for interference in mosques and groups responsible for their administration as well as controlling the finances of groups and NGOs run by Muslims.
It also restricts the educational choices of the Muslim community by preventing families from teaching their children at home.
The bill also prohibits patients from choosing doctors based on gender for religious or other reasons and makes "secularist education" compulsory for all public officials.
