Turkish authorities detain 5 journalists over tweet, 1 remains in custody
Istanbul, July 26, 2023—Turkish authorities should immediately release reporter Fırat Can Arslan and stop treating journalists like criminals, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, July 25, Turkish police detained Arslan, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, at his house in the capital city of Ankara, in relation to an investigation…
Terrorism trial of 17 Kurdish journalists, media worker begins in Turkey
Diyarbakır, July 11, 2023—In response to Tuesday’s opening of the trial of 17 Kurdish journalists and a media worker on terrorism charges in a court in Diyarbakır, Turkey, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Turkish authorities must immediately release the defendants and drop the terrorism charges, which are solely based on their…
CPJ joins statement calling for EU to prioritize media freedom and human rights in relations with Turkey
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 19 other journalists organizations and press freedom, human rights, and freedom of expression groups in a joint statement on June 28, 2023, urging the European Union to prioritize media freedom and human rights in dealings with Turkey, following May elections in which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice…
Turkish journalist Merdan Yanardağ arrested over political commentary
Istanbul, June 28, 2023—Turkish authorities should release journalist Merdan Yanardağ and stop hindering free speech and commentary in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Monday, June 26, police detained Yanardağ, chief editor for the critical online outlet and TV broadcaster TELE1, at the Istanbul studios of his outlet, after he criticized…
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabaş facing new trial for ‘insulting’ President Erdoğan
Istanbul, June 22, 2023—In response to an Istanbul court on Thursday, June 22, denying the request to dismiss another charge of “insulting the president” filed against journalist Sedef Kabaş, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Turkish authorities’ persistence in putting journalist Sedef Kabaş on trial for allegedly insulting the president is a…
Turkish journalist Sinan Aygül hospitalized after attack by Tatvan mayor’s bodyguards
Istanbul, June 20, 2023 — Turkish authorities should hold to account all those involved in the recent assault of local journalist Sinan Aygül, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On June 17, two men attacked Aygül, chief editor of the privately owned website Bitlis News and chair of the Bitlis Journalists Society, in the…
Turkish editor Safiye Alagaş released after 1 year in pretrial detention
Diyarbakır, Turkey, June 15, 2023—In response to a court in Diyarbakır on Thursday, June 15, ordering the release pending trial of Safiye Alagaş, news editor for the all-female pro-Kurdish news website JİNNEWS, after a year in pretrial detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Safiye Alagaş lost a year of her life,…
Journalists attacked, critical outlets investigated in Turkey election aftermath
Istanbul, May 30, 2023–Turkish authorities should investigate multiple incidents of journalists being attacked or obstructed from reporting during the country’s recent election, and the media watchdog RTÜK should treat all outlets equally regardless of political stance, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. During the second round of presidential elections on Sunday, May 28, at…
Turkish journalist Muhammed Yavaş assaulted over political coverage in run-up to election
Istanbul, May 12, 2023 – Turkish authorities in the western province of Çanakkale must investigate the recent assault of journalist Muhammed Yavaş and ensure his attacker is held to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Wednesday, May 10, Yavaş, a writer and publisher of the weekly newspaper Çan’dan Haberler, published a post…
In Turkey, cautious optimism that tough election could be good for press freedom
Turkey’s powerful Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) are facing one of the toughest challenges of their two decades in office. Polls ahead of the country’s May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections suggest that the president and his long-ruling party could lose to the opposition coalition of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of…