FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Eleven journalists accused of PKK membership, facing up to 15 years in prison 

  Eleven Kurdish media workers have been accused of being members of the PKK/KCK. The employees of the MA and JinNews news agencies face up to 15 years imprisonment for their journalistic work.
• Journalists detained while covering earthquake have press cards confiscated 

  Journalists Altıntaş and Çağlak were taken into custody on Wednesday while covering the consequences of the earthquake in Birecik, in Urfa. They were released after giving their statement and had their press cards confiscated.
• RTÜK and Police busy to hunt journalists 

  While thousands of people were waiting to be rescued under the rubble, RTÜK and the police went on the hunt for journalists and dissidents in Turkey.
• JINNEWS journalist Yıldız and HDP executive Tufan detained in Izmir 

  JINNEWS reporter Nazlıcan Yıldız and HDP executive Murat Tufan were detained during a political police operation in Izmir.
• IPI monitoring: At least 227 journalists faced trial in Turkey in 2022 

  The judicial harassment of journalists in Turkey continued in 2022. Over the course of the year, 227 journalists faced trial and at least 53 of them were sentenced to prison or fined, according to International Press Institute (IPI) data.
• Journalist Rojin Altay released  

  Rojin Altay, a journalist working for Yeni Yaşam newspaper, has been released from detention after giving a statement to the prosecutor's office. She spent 4 days in custody.
• Yeni Yaşam journalist to be taken to courthouse today  

  Yeni Yaşam Newspaper journalist Rojin Altay will be taken to the courthouse today to give a statement to the prosecutor.
• Prosecutor orders new 24 hours extension of custody time for journalist Altay 

  The custody time of Yeni Yaşam Newspaper employee Rojin Altay has been extended for one more day.
• Arrest warrant for filmmaker Sibel Tekin lifted 

  The arrest warrant for Sibel Tekin has been lifted. The filmmaker was arrested in 2022 because she filmed a police van while shooting a documentary about climate change in summer and winter.
• Journalist who interviewed Jina Amini's father sentenced to two years in prison 

  Iranian journalist Nazila Maroofian has been sentenced to two years in prison for "anti-state propaganda". She had published an interview with Jina Mahsa Amini's father, who rejected the official version of his daughter's death.
• The custody period of journalist Altay extended 

  The custody period of journalist Rojin Altay, from Yeni Yaşam Newspaper, has been extended for one more day.
• Yeni Yaşam journalist Rojin Altay taken into custody  

  Yeni Yaşam Newspaper journalist Rojin Altay was detained at Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
• Greece extradites journalist Murat Verim, Turkey puts him in jail 

  Journalist Murat Verim, was extradited to Turkey by Greece and sent to jail.
• 158 journalists subjected to rights violations in Kurdistan Region in 2022 

  The Kurdistan Journalists' Syndicate reported that the rights of 158 journalists were violated in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in 2022.
• 16 journalists in Amed spend their 220th day in prison 

  The 16 journalists arrested in Amed on 16 June 2022 because of their journalistic activities are still in prison. 220 days have passed and no indictment has been prepared yet.
• Jailed documentary director Tekin: "I am patiently waiting for free and fair days" 

  Imprisoned documentary director Sibel Tekin sent a message saying: “I am patiently waiting for free and fair days.”
• Remembering Agos editor Hrant Dink 

  Agos editor Hrant Dink was killed in Istanbul 16 years ago.
• Court upholds prison sentence against journalist Abdurrahman Gök 

  An appeals court in Amed has upheld a "terror" sentence of one and a half years in prison against Kurdish journalist Abdurrahman Gök for taking photos of the fight against ISIS.
• Photograph used as evidence in arrest of journalist Kartal 

  The only evidence for the arrest of journalist Sezgin Kartal, who was taken into custody on 10 January in Istanbul, was a photograph taken in 2004 that was not examined by any expert to check it had not been modified.
• Journalist Sezgin Kartal sent to prison 

  Journalist Sezgin Kartal, who was taken into custody on 10 January, Working Journalists' Day, as part of an investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, was sent to prison.
• DFG marks 10 January: 87 journalists are behind bars in Turkey 

  The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) Co-Chair Dicle Müftüoğlu stated that 87 journalists are currently jailed, stressing that they regard January 10 Working Journalists Day as a day of struggle, not a celebration.
• Jailed journalists mark Working Journalists’ Day: A day of resistance 

  Jailed journalists marked January 10 Working Journalists' Day in prison, saying; “Even though we are jailed, our struggle to write the truth continues. January 10 is a day of resistance to us.”
• Police take journalist Sezgin Kartal into custody 

  Journalist Sezgin Kartal was detained in a police raid on his house in the morning.
• Prosecutor dismisses investigation into imprisoned women journalists' complaint over strip-searches 

  Prosecutors in Ankara have dismissed an investigation into imprisoned women journalists' complaint that they had been strip-searched at Sincan Women's Prison.
• DFG: 39 journalists arrested, 76 sentenced in 2022 

  The report published by the Dicle Firat Journalists Association (DFG) said that in 2022, 39 journalists were arrested and 76 sentenced.