The monthly reports of the Media Watch on Hate Speech present examples of news articles and columns from the printed press that contain hate speech and target national, ethnic, and religious groups. A selection of articles (news clippings or personal columns) that contain hate speech is analysed and documented, using the method of critical discourse analysis. The aim is to raise awareness about the widespread use of hate speech in the printed press and the groups that are systematically subjected to hate speech.
In a story in Yeni Akit newspaper headlined “Pompeo Spoke Like a Greek in Athens,” statements made by the former US secretary of state are associated with the Greek identity. The Greek identity is used as an insult and to stoke hostility. By attributing negative connotations to identity, a pre-existing hostile narrative is reinforced.
A Türkiye news story headlined “Serb Sedition in Bosnia” about the statements of a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina depicts the Serb identity as a threat. This threat, accompanied by the claim that Serbs are preparing for war, fuels hostility towards an identity.
A story in Ege Telegraf, headlined “The Greek Pushes Back Again, We Rescue Again,” about obstructing refugees from crossing the border references the Greek identity. The Turkish identity, in contrast to the Greek, is portrayed as a “saviour.” This is an attempt to create a moral hierarchy between identities by reinforcing existing prejudices, thereby embittering the quarrel between identities.
The news story published in İnegöl Yıldırım newspaper with the headline “Karabakh Victory Celebrated with Jubilance” is about the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The news, which describes events in Nagorno-Karabakh as an “Armenian occupation,” places responsibility for the conflict between the two states on the Armenian identity. This way, the story targets Armenians and legitimises hostility towards an identity.
The story, published in the Yeni Akit newspaper with the headline “Jews’ Racist Attack on Palestinians Will Not End,” places blame for events on Jews by generalising the Jewish identity. By accusing all Jewish identity of “racism,” it fuels prejudice and hostility towards the identity.
Yeni Akit’s story headlined “The Greek Seeks Trouble in the Aegean” deals with the dispute between Turkey and Greece over their territorial waters in the Aegean Sea. The story depicts the Greek identity as a threat and further targets Greeks by using offensive expressions, such as “the Greek itches for trouble" and “seeks trouble.”
Statements about the 38th anniversary of the Turkish Cypriot Republic of Northern Cyprus by AK Party spokesman Ömer Çelik are used in the headline “Greek Cypriot-Greek Aggression Will Never Get Results” without quotation marks, and the words “Greek Cypriot-Greek Aggression” are brought to the forefront. Prioritising these identities leads to an increase in prejudices and encourages a perception of hostility towards them.
The story published in Yeni Asır newspaper with the headline “Greek Cruelty Again, Turkish Compassion Again” is about the intervention of Greek security forces against refugees. The human rights violation is reported on by emphasising Greek identity in the headline and associating it with violence and oppression, stoking hatred and hostility towards the identity. The notion of “Turkish compassion” in the face of “Greek cruelty” reinforces polarisation between societies by creating a moral hierarchy between the two identities.
The allegation of an attack in the headline “Syrian Refugee Spreads Horror” in Adapazarı Akşam Haberleri references Syrian identity, even though the allegation is unrelated to identity. In addition to not fully explaining the case, the news uses discriminatory language accusing refugees. By associating an identity with violence and aggression, the story reinforces negative prejudices towards Syrians.
The story headlined “The Greek Has Never Been Humane” in Günebakış newspaper is about allegations of human rights violations by the Greek coast guard against refugees. Instead of focusing on the violations, the paper attributes responsibility for the incident to Greek identity. The headline dehumanises the Greek identity, portrays it as morally inferior and discredits it with racist rhetoric.
The story published in Diriliş Postası with the headline “Serbs Didn't Sign at Dayton” highlights the Serbian identity in the headline, ignoring the responsibility of policymakers. By stating that Serbs are “pro-war,” identity is associated with violence and coded as a “threat.” In the text, the responsibility of the Bosnian War is attributed to Serbian identity, reinforcing the perception of hostility towards an identity.
The column published in the newspaper Hakimiyet in the town of Elaziğ with the headline “God Does Not Create Perverts or Pervert Anyone” employs hate speech that is widely used against LGBTI+ people. LGBTI+ freedoms of association and organisation are portrayed as a problem, arguing that “all kinds of rehabilitation, admonishment and pronouncements” should be applied to LGBTI+ people. The article depicts and classifies LGBTI+ people as “immoral,” based on religious notions, and claims this “immorality” must be opposed to get rid of Turkey of its social problems. This portrays LGBTI+ people as the source of social problems and conveys the message that being against LGBTI+ people will solve these problems. This is how the column increases prejudices towards identity and justifies human rights violations.
