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France accused the Turkish state-run news agency “Anadolu” of targeting the country with fake news.
The French Interministerial Committee for the Prevention of Crime and Radicalization (CIPDR) in a Twitter thread said that Anadolu is spreading fake news about France, and referred specifically to the agency’s claims that the country will target its Muslim citizens.
The CIPDR specifically wrote on its Twitter account:
“Anadolu presents itself as a press agency. In reality, this is not the case: Anadolu is a propaganda organ that publishes opinion columns on its site attacking France in a lying and slanderous manner.
Anadolu does not stop propagating fake news against France. This propaganda body poses as a slayer of France’s actions, claiming that the state would set up targeting of its Muslim fellow citizens. This is intolerable.
Article 1 of the law of 1905 recognizes religious freedom: “The Republic ensures freedom of conscience. It guarantees the free exercise of worship ”. All citizens, believers or non-believers, are treated equally.
Some recent examples: this April 27, in an opinion piece, Anadolu relays the accusation that France wants to criminalize “a part of the population for its opinions and its supposed religious affiliation”. This is totally wrong.
Another example of fake news spread by the Anadolu site: on April 22, the site relays the accusation that the French government would like to “muzzle the Muslim expression”. This is totally wrong.
The Republic recognizes all its citizens, without distinction of origin or religion, and respects all beliefs. The State is fully and daily engaged in the fight against all racism and anti-Semitism.
France does not tolerate the propagation of lies and slander that undermines its founding principles of universalism and humanism.”
Turkish Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun defended the state-run news agency claiming that France has become the center of anti-Islamism.
“Why are the reports of the Anadolu Agency bothering France? Why is France, which has become the center of anti-Islamism and systematic discrimination against Muslims, targeting freedom of the press and opinion?’’ Altun said in a tweet.
