AKP spokesperson touches upon detention of journalists in Turkey

Ankara. 14 July. REPORT.AZ/ "There are jailed journalists in Turkey. We were asked in the U.S. why have you imprisoned journalists? We responded that journalists supported the Al-Qaida terrorist organization under the pretext of freedom of speech. Would you keep silence? They said "no", said spokesperson of Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) Mahir Ünal at a meeting with foreign media representatives.

Mahir Ünal noted that backing a terrost organization has nothing to do with freedom of speech: "If the head of state receives a death threat, what does it have to do with freedom of speech?! We are against it. Therefore, they are in jail, because they have shown support for terrorism."

The AKP spokesperson also touched upon the detention of some politicians: "We told them that it was wrong to fight with weapons and terror. However, they did not give up on their actions. In 1999, the Turkish President was jailed for reading a poem. He did give up on the democratic principles while being jailed. Calling people to take to the streets and speak against the government is against the democratic principles."