ANKARA (AA) – Turkey’s top broadcast authority Saturday praised the media for resisting the coup plotters’ attempts to muzzle them.
“Our media have shown once again that they are the guarantors of freedom of expression and information as they took up a position with the national will and democracy,” said a statement by the Supreme Council of Radio and Television (RTUK).
The council added, “The importance of local broadcasts in times of crisis has been understood as a result of this regrettable incident.”
A group of military personnel within the Turkish army late Friday took illegal action outside the chain of command in an attempted coup.
The personnel captured Turkey’s state-run TRT TV channel, then forced the anchor to read out a false military statement, and also seized the broadcast of CNN Turk.
However, both TV channels resumed normal broadcast after the military personnel who attempted the coup were detained by Turkish security forces with the support of the people.
During this time, the vast majority of Turkish TV channels were on air to show local people’s efforts to stop military vehicles around Turkey, and spotlighted democratically elected government members.
