FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Turkey sentences two journalists to ten months in prison 

  A Turkish court sentenced two journalists to ten months in prison for publishing a statement of KCK.
• Up to 15-year jail term sought for 24 Kurdish journalists 

  Up to 15-year prison sentence is sought for 24 journalists who were detained during a raid on Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat last year.
• Swedish police raid on Aryen TV studios in Stockholm 

  The Swedish Police has raided the studios of Aryen TV, broadcasting content geared towards Eastern Kurdistan. Searches in the network’s offices continue.
• Swiss “Freethinker Prize” goes to Kurdish journalist Zehra Doğan 

  The Swiss Freethinker Association ‘Frei Denken’ bestowed this year’s "Freethinker Prize" to jailed Kurdish journalist Zehra Doğan and Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad.
• Twitter blocks access to ANF’s Twitter account in Turkey 

  Twitter has blocked access to the official account of ANF Turkish service in Turkey.
• Journalists Kızılkaya and Sancılı released 

  Journalists İnan Kızılkaya and Kemal Sancılı, who were on remand in the Özgür Gündem case, have been released from prison.
• Journalists rally in Istanbul for colleagues behind bars 

  Journalists staged a march hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder demanding the release of their jailed colleagues, with the support of HDP and CHP members of the parliament in the very forefront.
• Journalist Zeynep Kuray taken into custody 

  Journalist Zeynep Kuray has been detained as result of a house raid in Istanbul Wednesday night.
• Several journalists detained in Ankara 

  Several journalists have been detained in early morning house raids in Ankara.
• Turkish court sentences Wall Street Journal reporter to prison 

  Turkey has taken legal action against yet another foreign journalist reporting on the conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdish people.
• 176 journalists behind bars in Turkey 

  The Free Journalists Initiative has pointed out that the rights violations against the journalists continued in September and said, “176 of our colleagues are in prison.” The initiative gave the message: “We will not give up any press freedom.”
• Musa Anter Journalism Awards Ceremony in Istanbul banned 

  25th Musa Anter and Free Press Martyrs Journalism Awards Ceremony due to be held in Istanbul today, has been banned by Beyoğlu District Governorate.
• Cameraman for Rojnews detained in Sulaymaniyah 

  Rojnews cameraman Mihemed Welî has been taken into custody by the asayish in Sulaymaniyah while covering a demonstration before the arrival of KDP leader Masoud Barzani.
• Journalist Candemir sentenced to 18 months in prison 

  Journalist Oktay Candemir who stands trial for his news articles has received 18 months prison sentence.
• Press freedom in Turkey: 30 journalists detained in August 

  30 journalists were detained and 14 of them are arrested and set to prison between 1-31 August in Turkey, Free Journalists’ Initiative (OGI) said in a report.
• Turkey revokes passport of writer Aslı Erdoğan 

  Writer Aslı Erdoğan who was to travel to Germany to accept a peace prize had her passport seized by Turkish authorities.
• KDP halts local broadcast of NRT channel 

  The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has halted local broadcast from the channel NRT through the Directorate of Media, Printing and Publications in Hewler.
• Macron urges Turkey to release French journalist 

  The French state that has long remained silent on Turkey’s fascistic practices has finally reacted to Turkey for jailing a French journalist.
• Kurdish newspaper 'Welat' starts publication 

  The Kurdish newspaper 'Welat' (Homeland) has started publication. The first issue of the newspaper has been published today with the headline ‘Free press will not be crashed, will not fall'.
• Journalist Mete jailed 

  Özgürlükçü Demokrasi employee Semiha Mete who was detained during newspaper distribution in İzmir’s Buca district on August 21, has been jailed.
• Dihaber news agency central office in Amed sealed 

  The central office of Dihaber news agency, which was shut down with statutory decree No 693 issued at midnight, has been sealed.
• Gazete Şûjin won't be silent: We were, are, will always be here 

  The women’s journalism website Şûjin, with their motto “A packing needle [“şûjin”] against the masculine language of the mainstream media”, has been shut down by the government of Turkey with a statutory decree targeting the free press.
• Dihaber, Şûjin and Rojeva Medya shut down 

  The AKP government has issued two new Statutory Decrees and shut down the Rojeva Medya newspaper, the Gazete Şûjin website and the Diyarbakır-Dicle Medya news agency.
• Cyber attack against Gazete Şûjin 

  The women’s journalism website Şûjin, with their motto “A packing needle [“şûjin”] against the masculine language of the mainstream media”, is recovering from a cyber attack.
• English PEN calls for immediate release of journalist Doğan 

  English PEN has joined colleagues around the world in calling for immediate release of Kurdish journalist and artist Zehra Doğan.