European Parliament President Antonio Tajani's decision to ban the distribution of our newspaper, Daily Sabah, to members of the European Parliament is perplexing to say the least. His press officer Marjory van den Broeke confirmed the decision came after Dutch MEP Jeroen Lenaers's complaint, but repeated calls for a basis produced nothing other than confusing and contradictory answers.Each day, dozens of publications are similarly distributed to members of the European Parliament, a practice Daily Sabah adopted for the past three years. We have received a great number of positive feedback from MEPs, and no one had contacted us complaining about our editorial stance.Tension between the Netherlands and Turkey escalated after our citizens were violently attacked by mounted police with dogs and a Turkish minister was forcefully deported from the country. Daily Sabah, acting within the confines of ethical and responsible journalism, had reacted to what it perceived as an unjustified attack on Turkish nationals practicing their democratic prerogatives. Faced with racist and irresponsible rhetoric from Dutch media and leaders, Daily Sabah called on European intellectuals to react. Lenaers, who appears to be a typical specimen of Dutch politics with all its prejudices, filed a complaint to EP President Tajani, calling for the ban of Daily Sabah.As a pro-European Union publication, we, as Daily Sabah, have been distributing our paper in the European Parliament, as do dozens of publications every day, to present Turkey's outlook toward Europe. Was Daily Sabah doing something criminal by distributing its paper, and are the publications doing exactly the same now violating the regulations? Or, is the European Parliament arbitrarily imposing a ban on Daily Sabah? Is a prejudiced and baffling complaint enough to violate the freedom of the press?Are we being banned because a report in the Dutch media accused us of propagating hate through our reporting? As our website and the print copy delivered to the EP until last week can attest, no one can accuse us of committing a hate crime through our reporting. Did the EP actually conduct an investigation of our reporting or does it base its decision on hearsay and conjuncture?The report in the Dutch media that may have been the basis of this decision actually cites a report in our Turkish-language sister paper, Sabah, alleging that the article in question made the Gülenist Terror Group's (FETÖ) imam in the Netherlands, Turan Yazır, a target. While Daily Sabah is part of the same Turkuvaz Media Group and the Sabah article in question had valid points, it is unconscionable to persecute us for a report that was published by another newspaper. While Lenaers may have been the conduit to this action, it was the EP itself that allowed it to succeed. When we informed Lenaers's office that the article in question had not appeared in our newspaper, it took him five days to respond before citing an opinion piece to justify his actions. It was the personal opinions of our columnist that justified the attack on our paper, which nowhere in the world would qualify as a valid response. The opinions of a columnist are binding to himself or herself alone. We would like to advise him to read our editorials to question our stance.This also proves how haphazard the decision-making process works in the EP.There are MEPs who desire an end to the prejudicial treatment of Turkey and stronger ties with Ankara. They are grateful to get a perspective of how things are in Turkey. Isntarget="_blank"'>The action taken against Daily Sabah is nothing but a betrayal of values the EP should hold dear. It demonstrates the institution's intolerance. What's even more disappointing is the fact that some in the European media are acclaiming such an attack on the freedom of press. It is apparent that the wider bias against different outlooks dominating the continent is spreading to the European media. They are demanding a free press that toes their line.