FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• No release or acquittal in Özgür Gündem hearing 

  İnan Kızılkaya and Kemal Sancılı, who are jailed pending trial, have not been released during today's hearing in Özgür Gündem main case. Kızılkaya said: "Journalism is not a crime. I demand freedom for all imprisoned journalists."
• Journalists and writers from Norway in solidarity with Stêrk TV 

  Norway's Journalist Union and Norway's Writers Union expressed solidarity with Kurdish channel Stêrk TV that French satellite company Eutelsat seeks to shut down at Turkey's request.
• UN Rapporteur: We can’t talk of an independent media in Turkey 

  UN Freedom of Thought and Expression Special Rapporteur Kaye stated that it is no longer possible to speak of an independent media in Turkey and that the State of Emergency has been turned into a tool of oppression against the opposition.
• Access to 'Şûjin' news agency banned by Turkey 

  Access to another news agency has been banned by the Turkish state as the continuation of a long trail of crackdown on Kurdish and opposition media.
• Journalist Zehra Doğan jailed 

  Journalist-painter Zehra Doğan was detained while travelling on Amed-Mardin highway and she was remanded in custody due to an approved prison sentence given to her.
• Turkey releases French photographer after one month of detention 

  French photographer Mathias Depardon who was under arrest in Turkey since May 8 has been released and deported.
• Journalist Türfent faces 22.5 years in prison 

  Nedim Türfent received threats of execution during the period of the curfews and has been in prison for 13 months for his journalistic activity in Gever. He is facing 22.5 years in prison.
• Letter from imprisoned journalist Meşale Tolu 

  Meşale Tolu, journalist and translator for ETHA, sent a letter from the Bakırköy Women’s Prison in Istanbul where she is held since her arrest one month ago, together with her 2-year-old baby.
• This month’s toll on the journalists in Turkey 

  The Free Journalists Initiative condemned the detention of journalists Güzüpek and Ertaş and issued a statement on the rights violations journalists in Turkey experienced this month.
• Prison sentence for journalist Doğan approved 

  The 2 years, 9 months and 22 days prison sentence sought for journalist Zehra Doğan has been approved.
• Two journalists for DİHA taken into custody 

  Chairman and Kurdish service editor of the Dicle News Agency (DİHA) which was shut down by the government have been taken into custody in Amed.
• Arrest warrant for NRT Director after the detention of a reporter 

  An arrest warrant has been issued for the director of NRT after the detention of a reporter for the channel two days ago.
• French press unions: Eutelsat action supports Erdoğan's policies 

  French press unions called on the satellite company Eutelsat to go back on their decision to stop broadcast for Kurdish TV networks.
• French photographer in custody for 2 weeks starts hunger strike 

  French photographer Mathias Depardon who is held in custody in Turkey since May 8 started hunger strike.
• “Kurdish televisions” decision in EFJ General Assembly 

  European Federations of Journalists (EFJ) unanimously decided to protest the shutting down of Kurdish television networks in their annual General Assembly meeting.
• Call for the release of French photographer arrested in Turkey 

  22 international organizations and media organs called for the release of French photographer Mathias Depardon, who was arrested in Turkey.
• TGC: Number of jailed journalists rose to 159 by the end of April 

  Journalists Society of Turkey (Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti - TGC) stated that the number of imprisoned journalists has risen to 159 by the end of April in a report titled “Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression”.
• Eutelsat action against Kurdish press criticized in the EP 

  A press conference was held in the European Parliament on Eutelsat’s decision to suspend the broadcast of three Kurdish TV channels.
• Kurdish TV workers holding meetings in the EP 

  The campaign started after Eutelsat attempted to shut down Ronahî TV, Stêrk TV and News Channel was taken to the European Parliament by the workers of all three networks.
• Journalist fined for exposing Minister's corruption in Van 

  Journalist İdris Yılmaz was fined for exposing the corruption that had taken place in Van’s Erciş district
• Number of jailed journalists in Turkey rises to 171 

  Free Journalists Initiative announced that the number of journalists jailed in Turkey rose to 171 with the arrest of Cumhuriyet newspaper’s Chief Editor Oğuz Güven.
• Journalist-writer Murat Çelikkan receives 18 months jail sentence 

  Journalist-author Murat Çelikkan, who joined the Editor-in-Chief on Watch campaign in solidarity with the Özgür Gündem newspaper shut down by the AKP government, has been given a jail sentence of 18 months.
• Journalist seeks asylum abroad due to KDP's threats 

  Journalist Cihan Özgür, who the Turkish state wants KDP to repatriate to Turkey, was forced to leave Kurdistan due to the threat of repatriation.
• Access to Kurdish daily Rojeva Medya website banned 

  Access to the website of Kurdish daily Rojeva Medya has been banned.
• Attempts against Kurdish televisions face international protests 

  Protests are increasing in Europe against the AKP and EutelSat that attempt to shut down the Kurdish television networks.