80 journalists and media employees behind bars in Turkey
At least 80 journalists and media employees are currently in prison in Turkey, according to the media rights organization MLSA. The IFJ describes the country ruled by Erdoğan as the "largest jailer of journalists in the world".

At least eighty journalists are currently in prison in Turkey. This was announced by the media rights organization Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) in Istanbul on Sunday. The NGO stands by harassed media professionals who are being prosecuted for their work in Turkey, provides pro bono legal support and monitors trials. It also conducts information campaigns at home and abroad.
As can be seen from MLSA's current list of imprisoned media workers, five of those in custody are women. They include JinNews correspondent Şehriban Abi and journalist Nazan Sala, who were arrested in Wan in October on charges of membership in a terrorist organization and "anti-state coverage of social events." The charges stem from articles about the so-called "helicopter torture" by Turkish military forces of two Kurdish villagers, one of whom did not survive the ordeal.
IFJ: Turkey largest jailer of journalists worldwide
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) recently described Turkey in a report as the "largest jailer of journalists in the world". More media professionals are currently imprisoned in the country ruled by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan than in China (23) or Saudi Arabia (13).
Below is the MLSA list of editors, reporters, columnists and media workers imprisoned in Turkey because of the work they do:
1 | Abdulkadir Turay | Dicle News Agency (DİHA), reporter |
2 | Abdullah Özyurt | Zaman newspaper, reporter |
3 | Adnan Bilen | Mesopotamia News Agency, Van reporter |
4 | Ahmet Altan | Journalist, novelist |
5 | Ahmet Feyzullah Özyurt | |
6 | Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş | Zaman |
7 | Ahmet Uzan | Sabah Egeli |
8 | Alaaddin Akkaşoğlu | Karşı daily, Gediz Haber owner |
9 | Ali Ahmet Böken | TRT, News Coordinator |
10 | Ali Demirer | Bugün TV, Chief editor |
11 | Ali Ünal | Zaman, Columnist |
12 | Ali Yüce | TRT Radio, Broadcasting chief |
13 | Ayşenur Parıldak | Haberdar.com, Zaman |
14 | Aytekin Gezici | Journalist, writer |
15 | Beytullah Özdemir | Cihan News Agency, Düzce representative |
16 | Burçin Selçuk Dokgöz | Zaman and Cihan, former reporter |
17 | Cemil Uğur | Mesopotamia News Agency, Van reporter |
18 | Cihan Acar | Bugün, former reporter |
19 | Cuma Ulus | Millet newspaper, broadcasts coordinator |
20 | Çetin Çiftçi | Bugün, parliament reporter |
21 | Emre Soncan | Zaman, defense reporter |
22 | Ercan Gün | Fox TV, News editor |
23 | Erdal Süsem | Eylül magazine, editor |
24 | Erdal Şen | Meydan newspaper, managing editor |
25 | Erkan Akkuş | Kanaltürk and Bugün TV former managing editor |
26 | Erol Zavar | Odak, magazine owner and managing editor |
27 | Ersin Demirci | Zaman, Erzurum |
28 | Fahri Öztoprak | Zaman, Erzurum |
29 | Faruk Akkan | Cihan News Agency |
30 | Ferhat Çiftçi | Azadiya Welat, Gaziantep correspondent |
31 | Fethi Altun | Zaman |
32 | Fevzi Yazıcı | |
33 | Gültekin Avcı | |
34 | Hakan Ergün |
Azadiya Welat and Özgür Gündem, distributor |
35 | Halil İbrahim Öztürkeri | TRT |
36 | Hamza Günerigök | TRT, anchorman |
37 | Hanım Büşra Erdal | Zaman, reporter, columnist |
38 | Harun Çümen | Zaman, former Managing Editor |
39 | Hasan Hüseyin Örs | TRT |
40 | Hasan Taşar | TRT, former Ankara correspondent |
41 | Hatice Duman | Atılım newspaper, owner and managing editor |
42 | Hidayet Karaca | Samanyolu, Broadcasting Corp. CEO |
43 | Hüdaverdi Yıldırım | Bugün TV, Editor |
44 | İbrahim Karakaş | Yeni Yaşam newspaper staffer |
45 | İsmail Çoban | Azadiya Welat, managing editor |
46 | Kamuran Sunbat | DİHA, former Çukurova reporter |
47 | Kazım Canlan | Cihan, Ankara News Director |
48 | Kenan Karavil | Radyo Dünya, Editor-in-Chief |
49 | Mahmut Gülecan | Özgür Halk journal, Managing editor |
50 | Mehmet Aslan | Mesopotamia News Agency, reporter |
51 | Mehmet Baransu | Taraf, writer |
52 | Mehmet Güleş | DİHA, reporter |
53 | Miktat Algül | Mezitli FM Genel broadcasts coordinator |
54 | Murat Çapan | Nokta, managing editor |
55 | Murat Dağdeviren | Demokrat Gebze newspaper, owner |
56 | Mustafa Erkan Acar | Bugün newspaper, newsroom editor |
57 | Mustafa Gök | Ekmek ve Adalet magazine, Ankara correspondent |
58 | Mustafa Ünal | Zaman |
59 | Mutlu Çölgeçen | Millet newspaper, newsroom coordinator |
60 | Nazan Sala | Freelance journalist |
61 | Nedim Türfent | DİHA, reporter |
62 | Nuh Gönültaş | |
63 | Nuri Yeşil | Azadiya Welat, Dersim correspondent |
64 | Oğuz Usluer | Habertürk, former broadcasts coordinator |
65 | Özcan Keser | TRT, reporter |
66 | Özden Kınık | TRT |
67 | Sami Tunca | Mücadele Birliği magazine, managing editor |
68 | Sertan Önal | Halkın Günlüğü, reporter |
69 | Seyid Kılıç | TRT News |
70 | Seyithan Akyüz | Azadiya Welat, Adana correspondent |
71 | Şehriban Abi | Jin News, Van reporter |
72 | Şeref Yılmaz | Irmak TV |
73 | Turgut Usul | TRT, anchorman |
74 | Ufuk Şanlı | Vatan, former writer |
75 | Uğur Yılmaz | DİHA, Bitlis News Portal, Bitlis Municipal Press Unit, reporter |
76 | Vahit Yazgan | Zaman, İzmir regional Bureau Chief |
77 | Yakup Şimşek | Zaman, marketing manager |
78 | Yılmaz Kahraman | Özgür Halk magazine, editor |
79 | Zafer Özcan | Bugün, Finance editor |
80 | Ziya Ataman | DİHA, reporter |