Turkey marks Working Journalists' Day

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA (AA) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan helped mark Jan. 10 as Working Journalists' Day on Thursday with many events across the country.

"The complete, impartial and correct informing of the public and the protection of our citizens' right to obtain news, has a vital importance from the angle of functionality of our democracy," Erdogan said in a statement on Twitter.

He said he hopes Turkish media will realize its duty of informing correctly in a best way and contribute to democracy by taking into consideration the professional ethics and sensitivities of the nation.

He also wished Allah's mercy upon the journalists who died while doing their duties.

First lady Emine Erdogan, also congratulated all media workers on her Instagram account.

She said journalists work in difficult conditions in every part of the world in order to realize their duty of making correct, impartial, real and ethical journalism.

"From cameramen to reporters, from photographers to editors, all workers of media open windows of the worlds which we cannot reach. I thank all of them from the heart," Erdogan said.

In western Bursa, a group of students visited Anadolu Agency Bursa Regional Directorate and celebrated by cutting a cake wit the name of the agency written on it.

Anadolu Agency Bursa Regional Director Zafer Akpinar answered students' questions about journalism.

Working Journalists' Day has been celebrated since 1961 to honor the rights of journalists.

* Sinan Balcikoca contributed to this story from Bursa