FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• HDP press employee sentenced to 10 years in prison 

  Press employee of the HDP Amed Provincial Organization, Vedat Dağ, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
• Lawyers appeal to ECtHR for jailed journalist Uğur 

  Lawyers from the Media and Legal Studies Association Legal Unit (MLSA) have appealed to the European Court of Human Rights for journalist Cemil Uğur who was arrested after reporting on the torture of two citizens by the Turkish military in Van province.
• HDP: Truth is written thanks to the free press 

  HDP commemorated the murdered journalists and said: "It is because of the price paid yesterday and the ongoing struggle for a free press that there are still journalists reporting the truth."
• Court of Appeal overturns sentence against journalist Ayşegül Doğan 

  An appeals court has overturned the sentence of more than six years in prison against Ayşegül Doğan, on trial for alleged terrorism charges. Her activities as a journalist were interpreted as a criminal offence. The decision could be ground-breaking.
• Coalition for Women in Journalism says 10 women journalists suffered violence in March in Turkey 

  The Coalition for Women in Journalism announced that 10 women journalists were subjected to violence in March in Turkey.
• Journalism in South Kurdistan 

  Journalists in South Kurdistan work under difficult conditions. They are arrested and shot at while working, and areas controlled by the KDP are not accessible to opposition media workers.
• Government continues crackdown against free press in Turkey 

  The AKP-MHP government’s crackdown against the free press is continuing. The government manipulates the judiciary to punish Kurdish journalists and targets those who reveal the truth.
• DFG releases report ‘Journalism within four walls’ 

  According to the report of the Dicle Fırat Journalist Association, there are 65 journalists behind bars in Turkey.
• 241 journalists put on trial, 115 attacked in Turkey in 2021 

  According to a report by the M4D project on press freedom in Turkey, 241 journalists were put on trial in 2021, 73 were arrested, two were killed and 115 were physically attacked.
• Kurdish journalist Beritan Canözer faces up to five years in prison 

  The Diyarbakır prosecutor's office has filed charges against journalist Beritan Canözer. Unsurprisingly, the JinNews reporter is accused of terror propaganda on the web. But this case is characterized by a particular absurdity.
• Dicle Fırat Journalists Association launches documentary "Journalism in the Tunnel of Fear" 

  The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association will launch the documentary "Journalism in the Tunnel of Fear" and the report "Journalism Within Four Walls", next week.
• Hackers attack website of Hawar News Agency 

  The website of Hawar News Agency cannot be accessed due to cyber attacks.
• Journalists Bozkurt and Barut taken into custody because of 'anonymous tips', says lawyer 

  The Turkish police allegedly took journalists Ertuş Bozkurt and Mikail Barut into custody acting on an "anonymous tip".
• Police take two journalists into custody in Amed 

  Journalists Ertuş Bozkurt and Mikail Barut were detained during a political politce operation in Amed.
• Court blocks access to Yeni Yaşam newspaper and Pir News Agency’s websites  

  Access to Yeni Yaşam newspaper and Pir News Agency’s websites has been blocked.
• Yet another Kurdish journalist faces ‘terror investigation’ 

  Mazlum Engindeniz, a correspondent for the Mezopotamya news agency, is facing charges of terrorist propaganda. The investigation is based on social media posts and news articles referring to Abdullah Öcalan.
• MA journalist Ahmet Kanbal sentenced to over a year in prison in Aydin 

  MA correspondent Ahmet Kanbal has been sentenced to over a year in prison in Aydin. The case was launched by notorious jandarma commander Musa Çitil.
• Iranian blogger Ronaghi Maleki abducted by unidentified security forces 

  Ronaghi Maleki, a freelance blogger and freedom of expression activist, was abducted by unidentified security forces who took him to an unknown location.
• Turkey's media watchdog notifies international news websites 

  RTÜK has notified the Voice of America, Deutsche Welle Türkçe and Euronews of its decision urging them to apply for a license, Bianet reports. With the decision published on RTÜK’s website on Monday, the outlets have three days for application.
• Another Kurdish journalist convicted of "terror propaganda" in Turkey 

  A Kurdish journalist has again been sentenced in Turkey. Durket Süren has received a one-and-a-half-year prison sentence for posts on social media. The prosecution accuses her of terror propaganda.
• Dicle Fırat Journalists Association organizes workshop on Kurdish journalism 

  Dicle Fırat Journalists Association started a workshop on Kurdish journalism.
• Jailed journalist Nedim Türfent infected with Corona 

  Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent, imprisoned in Turkey, has reportedly been infected with Corona virus. No information has been given about the journalist's health condition.
• Journalist Zeynep Durgut expected to appear in front of judge today 

  Journalist Zeynep Durgut, who was detained on Monday, was allowed to meet with her lawyer.
• 24-hour ban on lawyer for journalist Zeynep Durgut 

  A 24-hour barring order has been issued in the case of journalist Zeynep Durgut, who was detained in Cizre in a pre-emptive repressive strike ahead of 15 February. A confidentiality order has been imposed on the investigation file.
• Police detain Mezopotamya Agency journalist Zeynep Durgut in Cizre 

  Journalist Zeynep Durgut from Mezopotamya Agency was detained during the political police operation carried out in Cizre.