South Cyprus has referred the prosecution of Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Afrika’ and its journalists Editor Sener Levent and Ali Osman by Turkey to the OSCE and the EU, the South’s government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou
In a written statement, he notes that the government is concerned with developments in Cyprus’ “northern Turkish occupied areas” and a prevailing climate of intimidation, specifically the attempt to judicially prosecute ‘Afrika’ newspaper and journalists Sener Levent and Ali Osman in Turkey.
In January this year, journalists at the offices of ‘Africa’, were forced to barricade their doors as protestors hurled stones, water bottles and eggs at the building. Crowds gathered outside the newspaper offices angered by the headline published by ‘Afrika’, accusing Turkey of launching another invasion.
The government, Prodromou says, has referred the matter to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), seeking an intervention in defence of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
Meanwhile ‘Afrika’ newspaper owner and editor Sener Levent, has defied Turkey’s notices of prosecution by not answering them and republishing the offending article. He says that he has done nothing wrong and asks by what right does Turkey prosecute him since ‘Afrika’ is not distributed in Turkey.
CNA
