Turkish TV news crew attacked, beaten by lifeguards at Istanbul beach
On July 23, 2021, lifeguards at a beach in Istanbul beat reporter Çağdaş Evren Şenlik and cameraman Ayhan Arıtürk from the pro-government A Haber news television and damaged their equipment, according to reports and videos from their employer and other pro-government outlets. Şenlik and Artürk were there to report on drownings at beaches in Şile…
Police fire tear gas, rubber bullets into crowd of journalists in Istanbul
Istanbul, July 21, 2021 – Turkish authorities must ensure that journalists can cover political events without being harassed or attacked by police, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, police in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district disrupted a political march commemorating the victims of the 2015 Suruç bombing and shoved, hit, and fired tear gas and…
Assailant of Turkish journalist Can Dündar convicted over 2016 attack, but sentence delayed
On July 8, 2021, a Turkish court sentenced Murat Şahin, who attempted to shoot journalist Can Dündar in a 2016 incident in Istanbul that left journalist Yağız Şenkal injured, to a delayed prison term and monetary fine, according to news reports. The 28th Istanbul Court of First Instance found Şahin guilty of several charges, including…
Police detain camera operator Nazım Fayık while covering protest in Ankara, Turkey
On July 5, 2021, police disrupted a protest near a prison in Ankara, Turkey, and detained at least one journalist, according to news reports and video of the detention shared on social media. Police detained Nazım Fayık, a camera operator with the leftist pro-Kurdish website and TV broadcaster Artı Gerçek, along with five demonstrators at…
Turkish journalist and press freedom advocate Hakkı Boltan sentenced to 2 years in prison for insulting president and prime minister
Istanbul, June 29, 2021 – Turkey must not contest journalist Hakkı Boltan’s appeal, and should ensure that all members of the press can work freely and without fear of imprisonment, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Earlier today, the 12th Diyarbakır Court of First Instance, in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır, convicted Boltan of…
Turkish police assault and detain AFP photographer Bülent Kılıç as he covers Istanbul Pride march
Istanbul, June 28, 2021 – Turkish authorities should thoroughly investigate all the police officers involved in the recent detention of journalist Bülent Kılıç, and ensure that members of the press can cover events without fear of police harassment and assault, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 26, police officers in Istanbul detained…
Turkish journalist Mustafa Uslu beaten, equipment broken in Kocaeli
Istanbul, June 23, 2021 – Turkish authorities should ensure that the people who beat journalist Mustafa Uslu are held accountable and prosecuted, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, four people in the northwestern province of Kocaeli attacked Uslu, a reporter for the pro-government İhlas News Agency (İHA), while he was covering authorities’ demolition…
Journalist İbrahim Akkuş beaten with pipe in Turkey
Istanbul, June 22, 2021 – Turkish authorities must investigate the recent attack on journalist İbrahim Akkuş, hold the perpetrators to account, and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, three employees of a construction company in the 19 Mayıs District of the northern province of Samsun attacked Akkuş, a reporter for…
EU must highlight press freedom in Turkey during upcoming talks
Brussels, June 22, 2021 – European Union leaders should use the upcoming European Council meeting to call for Turkey to improve its press freedom record, including the release of all jailed journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Officials plan to discuss EU-Turkey relations during the meeting, scheduled for June 24 and 25, according…