FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Dozens detained for criticizing attack on Afrin 

  Turkey detained dozens of activists across the country for criticizing attack on Afrin.
• Journalist who wrote about civilian casualties in Afrin arrested 

  A Kurdish journalist who wrote “civilians are being killed in Afrin” in social media was arrested and sent to prison.
• Journalist Baysal detained for her social media posts 

  Turkish police raided journalist Nurcan Baysal’s apartment and detained her for her social media posts on Monday.
• Journalist Suat Karagoz detained in Van 

  Turkish police detained journalist Suat Karagoz in Van on Saturday.
• ECHR fines Turkey for closing Evrensel newspaper 

  European Court of Human Rights fined Turkey 5,000 euros for closing Evrensel newspaper in 2001. 
• Journalist Ozlu detained in Mersin 

  The director of Radio Ses, Semra Ozlu, was detained by Turkish police on Wednesday. 
• 122 journalists behind bars in Turkey 

  According to the Bia Media Observation Report prepared by RSF Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu, 122 media workers are behind bars in Turkey as of 1 January 2018.
• Turkey sentences journalists to prison for solidarity action 

  A Turkish court sentenced five journalists to nine years and nine months in prison for their solidarity action with Ozgur Gundem newspaper.
• Rojnews Twitter account banned in Turkey 

  After the ANF articles about the MIT administrators and articles on the Paris Massacre were published on RojNews, the agency’s Twitter accounts in Turkish and Kurdish have been restricted in Turkey.
• ANF statement about the cyber attack on the agency 

  Cyber attacks on our agency have intensified after we published a video footage from the moment two high ranking MİT officials were captured by HPG.
• Turkey bans two Kurdish news websites 

  Turkish administration suspended access to the websites of the Mezopotamya News Agency and Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper.
• Journalist Aslan detained after release from prison 

  Journalist Arif Aslan, whose recent release from prison was appealed against by a prosecutor, has been re-detained and taken to police department.
• Journalist Kaya jailed 

  Abdullah Kaya, a reporter for Dicle News Agency (DİHA) that was shut down with a statutory decree, has been jailed.
• 39-year prison sentence sought for three journalists 

  Diyarbakir Prosecutor’s Office demanded 39-year prison sentence for three journalists for their reports about clashes between the Turkish army and YPS in Idil, a district of Sirnak province.
• Journalist sentenced for calling Ankara bombing a massacre 

  Journalist Mehmet Ali Ertaş has received prison sentence for calling Ankara bombing of 10 October 2015 a “massacre”.
• CPJ: Kurdish authorities should stop harassing media outlets 

  The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the closure of an independent television broadcaster by the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq, and attacks on journalists covering anti-austerity protests held in the same region.
• Another Kurdish reporter taken into custody 

  Seda Taşkın, a reporter for Mezopotamya News Agency, was taken into custody in Muş province.
• Investigation against journalists asking about Öcalan 

  Investigations have been launched against journalists Bilal Güldem and Zuhal Atlan for their questions about Öcalan.
• RSF: Turkey is the biggest prison for journalists 

  With 42 reporters and one media worker behind bars Turkey is the world’s biggest prisons for journalists, Reporters Without Borders said.
• Journalist Meşale Tolu and 5 other prisoners released 

  ETHA reporter Meşale Tolu and five other prisoners have been released on condition of travel ban and judicial control.
• Turkey demands 15-year prison sentences for Kurdish journalists 

  A Turkish court accepted an indictment against two Kurdish journalists which demands 15-year prison sentences for each.
• Kurdish journalist sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison 

  Journalist Nedim Türfent received threats of execution during the period of the curfews and has been in prison for 19 months for his journalistic activity in Gever. He has been sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison.
• ÖGİ: 168 journalists behind bars in Turkey 

  Free Journalists Initiative stated that 168 journalists are imprisoned and 7 in custody, while 28 other journalists and one news agency have been sued in the month of November.
• 100.000 Lira fine for Keskin and Çapan 

  Özgür Gündem Co-Editor Eren Keskin and Editor in Chief Reyhan Çapan received a 100.000 Lira fine.
• Two journalists released after 8 months in prison 

  Journalists Selman Keleş and Arif Aslan, who had been jailed in March, have been released.