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Veteran journalist and Ohio University alumnus Andy Alexander just returned from Turkey where he was part of a  committee of journalists to meet with Turkish officials, including the president, about freedom of press issues and how to improve conditions for journalists in that country.

Alexander was part of a group of American journalists representing the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI).

Upon his return, he talked with WOUB’s Tom Hodson about the plight of international journalists in Turkey and some of the repressive conditions facing them.

Freedom of expression is limited and the government sees many stories as being negative or “insulting.”  Reporters are often harassed, sued, and even jailed. Internet access is limited and sometimes prohibited by governmental actions.

In 2012, 61 journalists were jailed in Turkey.  The number is now down to seven.  However, threatening situations still face journalists on almost a daily basis.

Alexander talks candidly about the work of the CPJ, who they met with in Turkey, and the results of the trip.