TURKEY’S opposition leader joined journalists’ unions yesterday in condemning the government’s crackdown on media freedom.

Republican People’s Party Kemal Kilicdaroglu reminded Justice and Development Party (AKP) Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of his post-election pledge to work toward reconciliation.

He spoke out at a meeting with former Uruguayan president Jose Mujica.

However, repression of journalists has continued, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS).

“Before Sunday’s elections, to be a journalist in Turkey wasn’t easy but now it will be even more difficult,” said IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger.

“Turkey is the biggest prison for journalists in Europe with around 20 journalists still held in prisons to date.”

TGS president Ugur Guc pointed out: “80 per cent of the people in Turkey access news solely through television which is controlled either directly or indirectly by the AKP.”

Mr Guc explained how the threat of legal action is used to censor media. “While there are fewer journalists in jail, hundreds of trials are still pending,” many of them for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“We cannot pretend that the media are free anymore. The president has built an empire of fear and oppression.”

This week peace campaigner Margaret Owen, who travelled to Turkey to observe Sunday’s elections, described how armed police and tanks were present at polling stations in Kurdish areas, creating at atmosphere of fear and intimidation among voters. She also heard allegations of vote-buying by the AKP.