Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of May 22
Prison sentences for newspaper editors Istanbul’s 13th Court for Serious Crimes sentenced Eren Keskin and Reyhan Çapan, former editor and news editor, respectively, of the pro-Kurdish daily newspaper Özgür Gündem, to three years and nine months in prison each on charges of spreading terrorist propaganda, the newspaper reported today. Both are free, pending appeal. In…
Turkish High Court denies journalist’s petition for release from pretrial detention
Istanbul, May 18, 2016–The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned a decision made Tuesday by Turkey’s Constitutional Court to reject a petition for release by journalist Mehmet Baransu, who has been held in pretrial detention since March 2015 on charges of obtaining classified documents.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of May 15
Veteran columnist pleads ‘not guilty’ to charges of insulting Erdoğan Veteran journalist Hasan Cemal, a columnist for the news website T24 and a founder of the news website P24, today pleaded not guilty to charges of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Istanbul’s 12th Criminal Court of First Instance, T24 reported.
UN review of Hungary shows country ‘treats human rights as a public enemy’
On May 9, a stern review of Hungary’s conduct in human rights issues and press freedom was released at the United Nations Human Rights Council. The report, drafted by the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, listed concerns from U.N. member states about the controversial policies of Viktor Orbán’s government on asylum seekers and…
Hackers, lawmaker put reporters at risk in Ukraine
New York, May 11, 2016 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the publication of the personal details of thousands of journalists and media workers who have reported from eastern Ukraine. CPJ also denounced a member of the Ukrainian parliament’s praise for that action.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of May 8
Police detain two men on suspicion of plotting attack on newspaper Police detained two men suspected of planning to attack the printing house of leading pro-government daily Sabah today, the newspaper reported. According to Sabah, suspects Hasan K and Bahri T were on a motorcycle with no license plates, wearing two sets of clothes, one…
CPJ writes to Turkish foreign minister about barring of foreign journalists
CPJ writes to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu regarding the barring of four international journalists in a week, asking him to clarify Turkey’s policy on the foreign press, and asking him to affirm that the international press is welcome in Turkey.
CPJ highlights challenges to female journalists, reporter released from prison, CPJ hosts book talk
CPJ Newsletter: May edition CPJ publishes annual edition of Attacks on the Press On April 27, CPJ launched its annual publication of Attacks on the Press. This edition, which focuses on gender and media freedom worldwide, highlights the challenges faced by female journalists who fight to report the news against all odds. The book–and the…