FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Rights violations against journalists continued in November 

  DFG announced that 8 journalists were detained in November, 2 journalists were jailed and 5 others were sentenced to prison.
• Özgür Gündem hearing adjourned 

  The hearing of Özgür Gündem’s chief editors and columnists has been adjourned.
• Journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu sentenced to prison in Amed 

  Journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu has been sentenced in Amed to over a year in prison for alleged propaganda for a terrorist organization. She is accused of having shared on social media a photo of the fight for Kobanê in 2014.
• Özgür Ülke newspaper bombed 26 years ago 

  The 26th anniversary of the bombing of the Özgür Ülke newspaper will be protested at an event to be held tomorrow. Journalist Ersin Yıldız, who was murdered in the attack, will be commemorated at his graveyard.
• Karataş: Free press shows the light at the end of the tunnel 

  Journalist Dindar Karataş sent a message from Erzurum prison: "We show the way to the light at the end of the tunnel, against the laws wanting to push us down into darkness."
• Court sentences journalist Öztekin to 18 months in prison 

  Former Azadiya Welat newspaper journalist, Velat Öztekin, was sentenced to 1 year, 6 months and 22 days in prison.
• MA journalist Karataş held in isolation cell 

  Mezopotamya Agency journalist Dindar Karataş has been put in a isolation cell in Erzurum H Type Closed Prison.
• MA journalist Hakan Yalçın taken into custody in Ankara 

  Journalist with Mezopotamya (MA) news agency, Hakan Yalçın, was arrested during a police raid in the Turkish capital Ankara.
• MA reporter Karataş jailed for journalistic activities 

  Dindar Karataş, a journalist with Mezopotamya Agency, was taken into custody following a raid in his house in Van on Tuesday.
• Journalists in Van call for solidarity against repression 

  The journalists in Van, reacting to the attacks against the Mesopotamia Agency office, stated that the AKP-MHP government targets the people who reveal the truth. They called for solidarity.
• Police arrive at Van news agency office with anti-riot vehicle 

  Following the detention of Mezopotamya Agency journalist Dindar Karataş, police searched the Van office of the agency, while an anti-riot TOMA vehicle was stationed outside it, and seized technical equipment.
• Police raid Mezopotamya Agency office in Van 

  After Dindar Karataş, correspondent for Mezopotamya Agency, was detained in the morning, the agency’s Van office was raided by the police.
• Police in Van detain Mezopotamya Agency journalist Karataş 

  Dindar Karataş, a journalist with Mezopotamya Agency, was taken into custody following a raid in his house in Van.
• Journalist Akman: We were beaten and kicked around the floor 

  Kurdish journalist Nuri Akman has made serious allegations against the Romanian authorities. After successfully resisting deportation to Turkey in Bucharest, he was eventually released.
• Lawyers apply to Constitutional Court for arrested journalists 

  Lawyers applied to the Turkish Constitutional Court (AYM) for 4 journalists who were arrested for reporting on two people thrown out of a helicopter in Van.
• JinNews website blocked for the third time in a month 

  The website of the news agency JinNews has been blocked in Turkey again following a decision by the telecommunications authority.
• Investigation against journalists following trustee protests  

  Following the usurpation of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality by the AKP-MHP, 8 people, including 5 journalists detained while following the protests, were sued.
• Journalist Akman and three Kurds detained in Romania 

  Fifty refugees, including Kurdish journalist Nuri Akman, were taken into custody in Romania. 35 of them were deported to Turkey.
• From witnesses to defendants of the incident they exposed 

  The hearing of the case opened against the 5 people who were beaten and detained by the police and later released on charges of "resisting an officer" was held in Van.
• Employee of Yeni Yaşam newspaper detained in Ankara 

  An employee of the pro-Kurdish newspaper Yeni Yaşam, Hamdullah Bayram, has been detained in Ankara without giving reasons. According to the media rights organization MLSA, he was mistreated and threatened with death.
• Journalist Aziz Oruç released from prison 

  Kurdish journalist Aziz Oruç, who had been taken into custody 11 months ago in Doğubayazıt, has been released.
• Yeni Yaşam journalist Ibrahim Karakaş remanded in custody 

  Yeni Yaşam journalist Ibrahim Karakaş remanded in custody.
• DFG: 11 journalists detained, 4 jailed in October 

  Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) released its "Report on Rights Violations Against Journalists" according to which 11 journalists were detained while 4 journalists were jailed in October.
• Prosecutor seeks up to 15 years jail sentence for reporter Boltan 

  Two press conferences he joined and social media posts were used to prepare the indictment, against journalist Hakkı Boltan. A prison sentence of up to 15 years is sought.
• JinNews website blocked again 

  The website of the news agency JinNews has been blocked in Turkey again following a decision by the telecommunications authority.