No complacency on threats to journalists, says David Casa

“We must not be complacent about increasing threats investigative journalists are facing today. You will always find my support in these battles,” MEP David Casa said yesterday. “And like me, that there are many MEPs from across political groups who are ready to do the same.”

Casa was speaking during a European Parliament hearing with journalists and experts about the prosecution of Turkish journalists and the opportunities for action by the European Union. It was organised by the International Press Institute (IPI).

Casa was one of the main speakers and he recounted how he had helped a Turkish investigative journalist whose factual reports were inconvenient to people in power.

Pelin Ünker had reported that the Paradise Papers exposed companies that were held by the relatives of Turkish President Erdogan and relatives of the Speaker Yildirim, who at the time was prime minister. Offshore companies in Malta had been included in her reportage.

“She simply reported uncontested facts,” Casa said yesterday.

Earlier this year, Pelin Ünker was charged because of these factual stories and sentenced to prison. She is a young mother of a two-year-old and the sentence would have meant being separated from her son for over a year.

Casa travelled to Istanbul to meet her as well as meet press organisations on the ground. Together with other MEPs, Casa started a campaign to draw attention to Ünker’s case. They sent letters, made declarations and issued press releases. Ünker also visited Malta as Casa’s guest, where she spoke at a vigil in honour of Daphne Caruana Galizia. David Casa also held meetings with high level Turkish officials to argue her case.

The charges against Pelin Ünker were eventually dropped by the court in Turkey, and today she is continuing her stellar work of speaking truth to power. At least for the time being.

“I believe that our work in this House did play an important role in the outcome of this case, and therefore preventing a gross injustice. Like Pelin Ünker there are so many others. There are so many brave journalists in Turkey that are persecuted for doing their job. For holding power to account. For speaking truth.”

“We will not rest on our laurels. We will defend journalists as much as we will defend democracy,” Casa said.