Turkey

2020

  

Turkey blocks Ozguruz radio website for 20th time

Istanbul, June 17, 2020 – Turkish authorities should cease trying to censor the Ozguruz radio station’s website, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, a Turkish court issued an order blocking the broadcaster’s website at the request of the Radio and Television Supreme Council, the country’s media regulator, according to news reports. The council…

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Turkish police arrest 2 journalists in espionage investigation

Istanbul, June 9, 2020 – Turkish authorities must release journalists Müyesser Yıldız and İsmail Dükel immediately, and ensure that the press can cover political and military news freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday morning, police in Ankara arrested Yıldız, Ankara news director for opposition news website Odatv, and Dükel, the Ankara representative…

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Police officers are seen in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on April 9, 2020. Authorities recently charged seven journalists over their coverage of an intelligence officer's death. (Reuters/Sertac Kayar)

Turkey charges 7 journalists over coverage of intelligence agent’s death

Istanbul, May 13, 2020 – Turkish authorities must release journalists detained for their coverage of an intelligence officer and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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People are seen outside a bank in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 21, 2020. Turkey recently passed a financial regulation that may restrict economic reporting. (AFP/Ozan Kose)

New finance regulation threatens economic reporting in Turkey

Istanbul, May 11, 2020 — Turkish authorities should revise a recently passed financial regulation to ensure that it cannot be used against journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A courthouse is seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on December 11, 2019. An Istanbul court recently filed charges against journalist Fatih Portakal. (AFP/Ozan Kose)

Turkish journalist Fatih Portakal charged for tweet about president’s speech

Istanbul, April 30, 2020 – Turkish authorities should drop the charges against journalist Fatih Portakal and allow him to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Riot police are seen in Kocaeli province, Turkey, on July 6, 2017. Unidentified attackers recently shot at the offices of the Kocaeli Ses newspaper. (Reuters/Osman Orsal)

Unidentified shooters attack office of Kocaeli Ses newspaper in Turkey

Istanbul, April 20, 2020 — Turkish authorities should conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the shooting attack on the Kocaeli Ses newspaper, hold those responsible to account, and ensure the safety of the paper’s staff, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Turkey's Deputy Parliament Speaker Levent Gok (center) is seen in the Parliament in Ankara on April 7, 2020. The Turkish parliament is considering an amnesty bill that would release 90,000 prisoners, but not include journalists. (AFP/Adem Altan)

Turkey amnesty bill would release 90,000 prisoners, but no journalists

New York, April 7, 2020 — In response to the Turkish Parliament’s proposed bill that would release 90,000 prisoners to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but which would not free journalists held as political prisoners, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

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Journalist Evrim Kepenek is seen while covering COVID-19 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Evrim Kepenek)

For Turkish journalists, fear of contracting COVID-19 competes with fear of arrest

Journalist Evrim Kepenek works in Istanbul as the women and LGBTI+ news editor for the independent news website Bianet. Like most people, she works from home these days, but she is also a street reporter who recently observed twin fears among the Turkish public: getting infected with COVID-19 and getting arrested for talking about it.

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A police officer is seen near a picture of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, 2019. Today, Turkey indicted 20 Saudi nationals in Khashoggi's killing. (AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Turkey indicts 20 Saudi nationals over Jamal Khashoggi killing

New York, March 25, 2020 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed an announcement that Turkish officials have indicted 20 Saudi nationals on charges of murder and incitement linked to the 2018 killing of exiled Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and issued the following statement:

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Newspapers are seen in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 19, 2018. CPJ recently joined other press freedom groups in calling on Turkey's ad regulator to lift its ban on the leftist daily Evrensel. (AFP/Ozan Kose)

CPJ joins calls on Turkey to lift ad ban on Evrensel daily

CPJ joined the International Press Institute, Reporters Without Borders, the Journalists Union of Turkey, the European Federation of Journalists, and 20 other Turkish and international groups in a joint letter today calling for Turkey’s Press Ad Agency, the state regulator of government advertisements in print media, to lift its ban on advertising in critical leftist…

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2020