Voter Intimidation...Volkan Publishes Voter Names

In what must be the most appalling abuse of power and show of intimidation in Cyprus media yet, Turkish-Cypriot newspaper Yeni Volkan has published a list of the 544 Turkish-Cypriot voters in upcoming Republic of Cyprus parliamentary elections on May 22nd.

This is clearly illegal and a nakedly aggressive attempt to try and stop these citizens from exercising their democratic right to vote. Not only is it against their human rights, but it is against all possible ethics of journalism.

This publication, which is the mouthpiece of the nationalist party in north Cyprus, has once again shown that it has no right to call itself a newspaper. Nationalist party daily rag, maybe - but newspaper? No way.

Freedom of speech and press does not extend to abusing other peoples' human rights or exposing them to possible repercussions by extreme nationalists. If names are released, addresses can be found, and threats can be made. Obviously, this newspaper wants to incite inter-communal trouble and even turns against its own ethnicity.

A newspaper's job is to report the news, not target ordinary people in a malicious article.

(More details: see Cypriot News Headlines of 20.5.11)