FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• US seizes websites linked to Iranian Government 

  Thirty-three websites used by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union, and three websites operated by Kataib Hezbollah, were seized, the Justice Department said in a release.
• Six journalists on trial over journalistic activities 

  Six journalists are on trial in Istanbul and Izmir for their reporting. The defendants are accused of terrorism and defamation of the fight against terrorism on the basis of their journalistic activities.
• Journalist Akdemir commemorated where he was murdered in Amed 

  Özgür Gündem correspondent Hafız Akdemir was commemorated on the street where he was murdered in Amed (Diyarbakır).
• DFG reports continued detention, violence and obstacle against journalists in May 

  Dicle Fırat Journalists Association announced that one journalist’s home was raided and one was taken into custody, 7 news and 11 websites were banned in May.
• Turkey: Crackdown on journalists 

  Expression Interrupted said that 213 journalists have been tried in 4 months and 20 journalists have been sentenced to 57 years and 10 months in prison in Turkey.
• MA journalist Mehmet Aslan released after 5 months in pre-trial detention 

  Journalist Mehmet Aslan is to be released after five months of pre-trial detention in Antalya. That was decided by the court in the first hearing of the trial against the correspondent of Mezopotamya Agency.
• Reporter for Mezopotamya news agency detained 

  Journalist and MA correspondent Lezgin Tekay has been detained at the entrance of Ankara.
• CPJ urges Iran to release journalist Najaf Mehdipour 

  Iranian authorities must immediately release journalist Najaf Mehdipour, known as Kaveh, and stop arbitrarily arresting members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
• Court blocks access to Jinnews website  

  Diyarbakır 4th Criminal Court of Peace ordered access restrictions to Jinnews website.
• IPI expresses solidarity with journalist Melis Alphan 

  The International Press Institute (IPI) has called on Turkey to drop charges against journalist Melis Alphan, who faces up to 7.5 years in prison for a photo she took during the celebrations of Newroz in Diyarbakır in 2015.
• Open debate in Sulaymaniyah underlines role of some media that justify Turkish occupation 

  An open debate held in Sulaymaniyah underlined that some media outlets make publications legitimizing the occupation of the Turkish state.
• EU expresses "concern" about trial of journalists in South Kurdistan 

  Criticizing the latest court ruling against journalists and activists in South Kurdistan, the EU issued a statement calling for the respect of rights in many issues, including fair trial and freedom of expression.
• Life sentence demanded for one of every ten journalists tried in Turkey 

  “Turkey consistently fails to meet its obligations under international law,” the report proves, providing a detailed analysis of legal provisions and practice concerning journalist prosecutions in Turkey against international human rights law standards.
• “We will not allow the honor of journalism to be degraded” 

  “Despite all pressures and crackdown, there are journalists who rely on the universal rules of the press instead of government regulations. These friends, who raise their voices over the injustices, will not allow the honor of journalism to be degraded."
• SOHR: 748 journalists killed in Syria since 2011 

  Since the beginning of the “Syrian Revolution” on March 15, 2011 to date, SOHR documented the death of 748 Syrian journalists. Furthermore, 100 journalists were killed by ISIS and opposition rebel, Islamic and jihadi factions.
• Turkey continued crackdown on journalists in April 

  According to a recent report of the Journalists Community, Turkish prosecutors asked up to 485 years in prison for 48 journalists in April.
• CFWIJ: Turkey marks the highest number of threats and attacks against journalists 

  Seven journalists have been killed and violence against female reporters has almost doubled since the beginning of 2021, according to CFWIJ statement on World Press Freedom Day.
• Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform: We reiterate journalism promise for friends in prison 

  Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform issued a statement on World Press Freedom Day reiterating the journalism promise made to their colleagues resisting in prison.
• HDP celebrates journalists pursuing truth on World Press Freedom Day 

  Celebrating World Press Freedom Day, the HDP said: "Journalism in Turkey has turned into a profession equivalent to risking death, arrest and unemployment."
• Today is World Press Freedom Day 

  Today is World Press Freedom Day. 8 journalists and 4 media assistants were killed since 1 January 2021.
• Jinnews website blocked for 4th time in ten days 

  The website jinnews22.xyz, published by Jinnews, was blocked with the decision of the Diyarbakır 2nd Criminal Court of Peace.
• CPJ calls for release of ANF reporter detained in Sulaymaniyah 

  “We call on local authorities to immediately release Rebaz Hassan without charge and allow journalists and media outlets to do their job freely and without fear of retaliation,” said CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa representative.
• Court adjourns Özgür Gündem hearing  

  The hearing of the journalists detained during a police raid on the Özgür Gündem newspaper building was postponed.
• Female journalists celebrate 123-year-old Kurdish press tradition 

  Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform celebrated the 123rd anniversary of the Kurdish press and said, "We will continue our claim to turn the 21st century into an age of women's freedom".
• Today marks the 123rd anniversary of Kurdish Journalist Day 

  The date in which the first issue of the Kurdistan newspaper was published, in 1898, is celebrated as Kurdish Journalists Day.