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Free Speech Lawyer Veysel Ok receives Bulut Öncü Courage Award 

Free Speech Lawyer Veysel Ok receives Bulut Öncü Courage Award 
İstanbul - Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) Co-Director Veysel Ok received the first ever Bulut Öncü Courage Award given by the liberal youth movement 3H. Ok was presented the award for his work in the field of freedom of expression and fighting for a free press in Turkey at a ceremony held as part of the 10th Liberal Youth Congress on 26 October at Elite World İstanbul Hotel. Ok stated that “I am proud of receiving an award presented in honor of Bulut Öncü who raised awareness about freedoms and rights. There are not many people like him who set a good example for the youth.”  The award scheme, which was launched in 2019, is presented to those who epitomize Bulut Öncü’s views and values. It will be handed out every year in October. Ok has been the first person to receive the award for his work in the field of freedom of expression.

Who was Bulut Öncü?

Bulut Öncü, who graduated from Ankara University, the Faculty of Law, was killed in a car accident in 2017. He was a renowned civil society activist who worked as a volunteer and a professional in the fields of public health, population in a wide range of prominent organizations including the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), Youth Approaches to Health Association (Y-Peer Turkey). Öncü was also an LGBTI+ activist and 3H Movement member. The 3H Movement is a youth organization that promotes classical liberalism. The 3 Hs in its name come from the Turkish words of Hürriyet, Hukuk and Hoşgörü, meaning Liberty, Law and Tolerance. 
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Medya ve Hukuk Çalışmaları Derneği (MLSA) haber alma hakkı, ifade özgürlüğü ve basın özgürlüğü alanlarında faaliyet yürüten bir sivil toplum kuruluşudur. Derneğimiz başta gazeteciler olmak üzere mesleki faaliyetleri sebebiyle yargılanan kişilere hukuki destek vermektedir.