FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• NWU in solidarity with Kurdish journalists in the face of recent attacks from Erdogan regime 

  “As writers, freelancers and journalists in the US, we fight for transparency and press freedom and declare our full solidarity with Kurdish journalists,” said the National Writers Union.
• Letter from jailed Xwebûn Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş to Hüseyin Aykol confiscated 

  A letter to Hüseyin Aykol by jailed Xwebûn newspaper's Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş was confiscated because of Aykol's writings for Yeni Yaşam newspaper.
• Diyarbakir 5th Criminal Court of Peace rules to keep Kurdish journalists in prison 

  Diyarbakir 5th Criminal Court of Peace decided to keep 16 Kurdish journalists who were arrested on 16 June in prison, following the monthly detention evaluation.
• Women journalists in prison send message: Solidarity makes us strong 

  The women journalists sent to prison along with 12 of their friends on 16 June, said that they were in good morale and were motivated in a message they sent.
• Kurdish production companies in Amed under police siege for a month 

  The Piya and Ari production companies in Amed (Diyarbakır) have been besieged by police for a month now.
• Association awards imprisoned journalists in the person of those jailed in Amed 

  “The award goes to all journalists who are prevented from doing their jobs and jailed journalists in the persons of 16 Kurdish journalists who were recently imprisoned,” said the Journalists Association of Turkey.
• 12 journalists transferred to Diyarbakır High Security Prisons No. 1 and 2 

  12 of the 16 journalists who remained in Diyarbakır D Type Closed Prison after their arrest were transferred to Diyarbakır High Security Prisons No. 1 and 2.
• Two detained in police attack on journalists' protest in Ankara 

  Two media workers were detained in a police attack on a rally of the Dicle Firat Journalists' Association and the Mesopotamian Women Journalists' Platform in Ankara.
• Kurdish production companies in Amed under police siege for 27 days 

  The Piya and Ari production companies in Amed (Diyarbakır) have been besieged by police for 27 days.
• Jailed journalist Oruç: Government sends a message to the West through Kurdish journalists 

  Aziz Oruç, one of the journalists arrested in Diyarbakır, said that they were arrested for their journalistic activities, adding, “The government sends a message to the West with this operation against the Kurds and Kurdish journalists.”
• Prison administration seizes letters to and from journalist Ömer Çelik  

  The letter that Ömer Çelik sent to his colleague was considered "encrypted communication", while a letter sent to him was considered to "endanger public order and officials of the institution". Both were seized.
• RSF urges Turkey to end police violence against journalists 

  RSF called on the Interior Ministry to respect journalists covering demonstrations.
• CPJ condemns the prison sentence against Kurdish journalist 

  CPJ criticised the prison sentence against journalist Abdurrahman Gök who was found guilty on terrorism charge, calling on Turkey to stop pursuing trumped-up terrorism cases against members of the press.
• Censorship at work: access to webpages of Voice of America and Deutsche Welle blocked 

  Access to the webpages of Voice of America and Deutsche Welle has been blocked due to the two outlets' failure to apply to the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) for a license.
• Ipekçi: No free society without free press 

  Lawyer Ercan İpekçi said that the partially free press in Turkey will be stifled by the new disinformation law and added “there is no free society if there is no free press”.
• Lawyers hold Justice Vigil for the 16 journalists remanded in prison in Amed  

  Lawyers held their Justice Vigil this week for the 16 journalists remanded in custody in Amed on 16 June.
• Journalist Abdurrahman Gök sentenced to one and a half years in prison 

  Journalist Abdurrahman Gök has been sentenced to one and a half years in prison in Amed for "terror propaganda". Among other things, he was charged with taking photos of the fight against ISIS in Kobanê.
• 16 Kurdish journalists arrested in Amed see their right to family visit violated 

  It has been revealed that the family visit rights the 16 Kurdish journalists unlawfully detained in Amed are entitled to have been restricted. Hülya Oruç, wife of journalist Aziz Oruç, drew attention to the fact that they could only meet for 20 minutes.
• Journalist Balıkçı says 'Disinformation Law' is biggest censorship law in the history of Turkey 

  Journalist Faruk Balıkçı said that they are facing the biggest censorship law in the history of Turkey: “Prisons will be filled with journalists, and more people will leave the profession should this law be approved."
• Journalists in Sulaymaniyah: Turkey has turned into a dark prison for journalists 

  Journalists in Sulaymaniyah condemned the Turkish government’s crackdown and arrest of journalists in Amed, North Kurdistan, remarking that Turkey has turned into a dark prison for journalists.
• Jailed journalist Alağaş: No persecution can break our pen 

  “It should be known that no oppression and persecution will be able to break a journalist woman's pen,” JINNEWS News Director Safiye Alağaş, who is one of the 16 Kurdish journalists arrested in Amed, said in a message.
• MSLA co-director Veysel Ok says 'censorship law' will affect everyone 

  MSLA co-director Veysel Ok said that the 'censorship law' that came to the Parliament will affect not only journalists but everyone.
• FIDH and OMCT call for immediate and unconditional release of journalists detained in Amed 

  The FIDH and the OMCT condemn the violation of journalists' right to freedom of press and expression and call for the immediate and unconditional release of the journalists detained in Amed.
• 15 journalists and one media worker in prison in Diyarbakır must be released, says PEN 

  PEN International said that 15 journalists and one media worker held in pre-trial detention in Diyarbakır must be immediately released.
• Jailed journalist from Behdinan receives punishment for criticizing Barzani 

  The Erbil Criminal Court sentenced five journalists and activists from Behdinan to six years in prison in February 2021, following an unfair trial, based on trumped-up charges of “destabilizing the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq."