FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Yeni Yaşam newspaper issue to be confiscated over the headline ‘The Kurds’ dream is to meet Öcalan’ 

  The Turkish judiciary continues measures against the publications of the Kurdish people.
• ETHA editor Pınar Gayıp taken into custody 

  ETHA editor Pınar Gayıp was detained at the police station where she went to give a statement about a criminal complaint against her.
• Radio and Television Supreme Council revokes Açik Radyo's terrestrial license 

  Açik Radyo’s terrestrial broadcasting license has been revoked by RTÜK. The radio invited its “listeners, professional organizations and the international community to speak out against this decision.”
• Journalist Serhildan Andan detained in Amed 

  Serhildan Andan, a journalist, was detained in Amed. The DFG, of whose board he is a member, said that the government, afraid of the truth, is trying to criminalise the work of journalists and fabricate crimes.
• Xwebûn Newspaper Editor-in-Chief sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison 

  Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Editor-in-Chief of Xwebûn Newspaper, was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
• Journalist Pelin Özkaptan sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison 

  Journalist Pelin Özkaptan was sentenced to 1 year, 6 months and 22 days in prison for her posts about Eylem Ataş, who fell fighting against ISIS in Rojava.
• European delegation of journalists calls for action against any attack on media workers 

  "Wherever a journalist has been killed in the world, it is clear that there is an attempt to hide the truth. Therefore, killing a journalist is killing the truth and hiding crimes," said the European delegation of journalists in Sulaymaniyah.
• Journalists examine the site where Hêro Bahadîn and Gülistan Tara were killed by a Turkish attack 

  A delegation of journalists from Europe examined the scene where the Turkish state killed journalists Hêro Bahadîn and Gülistan Tara in Sulaymaniyah.
• International delegation of journalists holds a series of meetings in Sulaymaniyah 

  Journalists from Europe held a series of meetings in Sulaymaniyah regarding the killing of Gülistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn by a targeted Turkish attack in August.
• MKG celebrates Kurdish Women Journalists Day 

  The MKG celebrated Kurdish Women Journalists Day, and paid tribute to murdered journalists. "The legacy they left behind will further strengthen the spirit of resistance of the free press. Kurdish women journalists will not leave the truth in the dark."
• International journalists arrive in South Kurdistan to investigate the killing of Tara and Bahadîn 

  An international delegation of journalists has arrived in South Kurdistan to find out more about the background to the murder of Gulistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn, murdered in a Turkish drone attack.
• MKG announces its September report 

  “While women journalists are constantly subjected to judicial pressure for reporting news, they face obstructions by police, soldiers or gangs in the field,” the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Association said.
• Academic in solidarity with Özgür Gündem newspaper sentenced to prison 

  Academic Beyza Üstün, who participated in Özgür Gündem newspaper's ‘Editor-in-Chief on Watch’ campaign, was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison.
• KCK Press Trial against 46 press members adjourned 

  The 32nd hearing of the KCK Press Trial, in which the Turkish judicial system targeted 46 press members, was held in Istanbul. The hearing was adjourned to January.
• DFG: Pressure on the press increased, judiciary turned into a cudgel against journalists in Turkey 

  Dicle Fırat Journalists' Association (DFG) reported that 5 journalists were detained, 2 were imprisoned, 4 were threatened and 6 were subject to lawsuits in September.
• Ok: Kurdish media becomes a target in line with the deadlock in the Kurdish question 

  MLSA Co-Director Veysel Ok said, “Kurdish media is banned the most as a result of the deadlock in the Kurdish issue. As the Kurdish question is tried to be suppressed with violence, the Kurdish media is the first target.”
• Kurdish media most affected by internet bans in Turkey 

  Bans on the Kurdish and socialist press form the basis of internet censorship. According to the censorship report, ANF ranks first among the Kurdish press websites that have been subjected to the most censorship until 2023.
• Lawsuit against journalist Irfan Uçar  

  A lawsuit was filed against journalist Irfan Uçar on the grounds of his professional activities.
• ROJIN: Journalist Rabia Önver is not alone 

  ROJIN condemned the raid on journalist Rabia Önver’s house following her report on prostitution and drugs, and said: "Rabia, who has done brave reporting, is not alone. Do not try journalists, but criminals."
• Prosecutor's office doesn't take statement by journalist Rabia Önver 

  Journalist Rabia Önver appeared in the courthouse in Hakkari accompanied by her lawyer. The investigating public prosecutor declined to hold a hearing and apparently no arrest would be made.
• New misleading accusation against Kurdish journalist Rabia Önver 

  Kurdish journalist Rabia Önver has become a target of the judiciary after reporting on state involvement in prostitution and drug trafficking in Hakkari.
• DEM Women's Council protests arrest warrant issued against journalist Rabia Önver 

  Kurdish journalist Rabia Önver is wanted in Turkey because she exposed the state's involvement in criminal activities. The DEM Women's Council points out the public's right to information.
• Turkish police raid house of journalist Rabia Önver  

  The Turkish police is searching for journalist Rabia Önver following a JinNews report on state involvement in prostitution and drug trafficking in Hakkari. Her apartment was raided and searched for hours.
• 32 years ago, the killing of Musa Anter 

  Musa Anter, a prominent Kurdish writer for the daily Özgür Gündem and the weekly Yeni Ülke, was shot and killed in Diyarbakır on 20 September 1992.
• Amed Municipality grants free public transport to journalists 

  Journalists working for both national and local media outlets will be able to travel on the municipality of Amed’s public transport network free of charge.