Le Monde Analysis: Erdogan Road to Tyranny

“Erdogan has started the way through which all tyranny”. In this severe and strong conclusion, the French reference newspaper Le Monde arrives, reducing the threat against 19 journalists who opened Turkey's conservative Islamic regime on Monday. In the editorial bearing the date of this Wednesday, the French daily stressed that this is not a process only against the press. Not only a process against the largest and independent newspaper “Cumhuryet”. “It is an attempt to spread fears and print any criticism against the regime and its chief, President Tayyip Erdogan” wrote Le Tense in the editorial read by Lacy.al.

But on this road to tyranny, the newspaper writes, first no one gets distracted. But at the end of the trip you are suddenly confronted with an autism with a system where the party winning the elections is given the right to bring all institutions that make up democracy -- police, justice, administration, press, culture. If this trajectory and the nightmare that millions of Turks experience doesn't happen quickly, it will be made” written in the editorial.

The trial for 19 journalists and leaders of the opposition newspaper”Cumhuriyet” began Monday by the Turkish court for support of terrorist organisations and slander.

If journalists are found guilty, they risk up to 43 years in prison. Eleven of them have remained in custody for more than nine months.

The arrests of journalists who were accompanied and closed dozens of opposition media occurred after the failed coup in July 2016. Under government decrees for the dismissal and arrest of journalists, they are charged with co-operating with the organisation of cleric Fetullah Gylen, who is accused of organising the coup.

In his editorial Le Mother calls for attention even to Western democracies. Turkey's “economy manages to sustain. The president is still backed by half the electorate. The EU depends on Ankara for control of the immigration flows that depend on the middle east. Russian tourists are returning to Turkish resorts. Normalization? We must not allow ourselves blindness. When a regime sits in the banner of 70-year-old editors, one of the country's most respected, it is known where it was headed. To a tragedy that exceeds the target of freedom of the press”.

In total, the number of media and newspapers banned by Erdogan since July totals more than 160, while the number of arrested journalists totals more than 150, most of whom are accused of terrorism or co-operation with terrorist organisations.

Turkey currently ranks as the country with the largest number of jailed journalists. (Lapsy.al)