ISTANBUL — Turkish media watchdog RTÜK revoked radio channel Açık Radyo’s license over “not complying” with the program suspension fine it received due to remarks on the Armenian Genocide in its programs, duvarenglish.com reports.
İlhan Taşcı, a member of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), stated on July 3 that the media watchdog has revoked Açık Radyo’s license for failing to comply with a 5-day program suspension imposed for “inciting the public to hatred and hostility.”
RTÜK fined the radio channel 189,282 Turkish liras and suspended its broadcasts for five days due to statements made about the Armenian Genocide during a program on April 24, 2024.
The decision cited remarks by a guest stating, “Armenian, that is, the deportation and massacres that took place in Ottoman lands, the 109th anniversary of massacres referred to as genocide. It was banned again this year, you know, Armenian genocide commemoration,” and the program host’s “failing to make a correction attempt.”
Taşçı said that the broadcaster had paid the fine but had not suspended broadcasting and added, “This situation should have been interpreted in favor of the broadcaster.”
Açık Radyo emphasized its commitment to freedom of thought, expression, and press since its inception, maintaining these principles for 30 years. The station asserted that the decision is incompatible with universal legal and journalistic principles and that there were no statements in the program that violated the boundaries of free expression or journalistic ethics.
Açık Radyo stated, “The program cannot be considered to incite hatred or enmity or to foster feelings of hatred in society.” The station condemned the penalty as erroneous and announced plans to pursue legal avenues, affirming, “We will continue to broadcast with the same principles and responsibility.”
