Swedish newspapers publish joint advertisement against Erdogan

Swedish newspapers published a joint advertisement to criticize the Turkish blackmail against Sweden’s NATO bid and the extradition of Turkish and Kurdish dissidents to Turkey.

ANF
NEWS DESK
Wednesday, 25 May 2022, 

The advertisement published in Aftonbladet, Expressen, Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagbladet newspapers was signed by 17 prominent individuals in Sweden. Among them are writers, publishers, actors and journalists.

The advertisement titled “Do not hand over the publishers to Erdogan!” remarked that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is attempting to export his own understanding of freedom of expression to Sweden.

Here is the full advertisement:

“Following Sweden’s and Finland's applications for membership of the NATO military alliance, Turkish President Erdogan outlined a number of conditions.

One of the conditions is the extradition of several Swedish journalists, writers and publishers of Turkish origin to Turkey.

Turkey's demand has rightly caused concern and discomfort among us who work for freedom of expression and publishing.

It is no longer a secret that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has eroded democracy and the rule of law in Turkey. Erdogan has amassed all the legislative, judicial and executive powers in his own hands. He silences journalists and others who disagree with him and puts them in prison. Those who are persecuted by him could be politicians, writers, singers, Youtubers. This list could be extended further. One of the victims of Erdogan's arbitrary rule is businessman and human rights defender Osman Kavala. The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers decided to introduce sanctions against Turkey, which is a member of the Council of Europe, because the imprisonment of Osman Kavala violates the European Convention on Human Rights. We would also like to recall the attacks and assassination attempts against prominent journalists, Can Dündar, in Istanbul, Erk Acarer in Berlin, and Ahmet Dönmez in Stockholm.

Under no circumstances can Sweden hand over publishers to a regime which wants to silence its critics far from its borders.

We consider Erdogan's political manoeuvre to extradite the people who took refuge in Sweden to be free as an attempt to export his own understanding of freedom of expression to our country, Sweden.

Do not fall into the trap of Erdogan who abuses his veto right against Sweden's NATO membership bid!

We should never negotiate over freedom of thought and expression!

Protect freedom of thought and expression!

Protect the Kurdish language!

Do not hand over publishers who have escaped the government crackdown in Turkey!”

Below is the list of the individuals who signed the advertisement:

ROBERT ASCHBERG, President of the Publishers Club

KURDO BAKSI, Author

JESPER BENGTSSON, Head of Swedish Pen

ANDERS Q BJÖRKMAN, Deputy Head of Culture at Svenska Dagbladet newspaper

HELENA GIERTTA, Editor-in-Chief of the Journalisten Newspaper

GÖRAN GREIDER, Author, Opinion Leader and Editor-in-Chief of Dala Demokraten Newspaper

ERIK HALKJAER, Head of Reporters Without Borders

ALEX HARIDI, Head of the Swedish Drama Actors' Union

ULRIKA HYLLERT, Head of the Journalists' Union

LISA IRENIUS, Head of Cultural Activities Reports for Svenska Dagbladet Newspaper

LISA NILSSON, Musician/Artist

ÖZZ NUJEN, Actor/Stand-up Comedian

KARIN OLSSON, Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Head of Cultural Service, Expressen Newspaper

KARIN PETTERSON, Cultural Service Editor of Aftonbladet Newspaper

AGNETA PLEIJEL, Author

GRETHE ROTTBÖLL, Head of the Swedish Writers' Union

BJÖRN WIMAN, Head of Cultural Service for Dagens Nyheter Newspaper