Turkey / Europe & Central Asia

  
Tahrir Square erupts after the army ousts Morsi. (AP/Amr Nabil)

Attacks in Egypt highlight risk of covering protests

From São Paulo to Istanbul to Cairo, coverage of street demonstrations has re-emerged as an exceptionally dangerous assignment for journalists. Since June 1, CPJ has documented more than 120 attacks on the press amid the civil unrest in Brazil, Turkey, and Egypt–the biggest surge of attacks in such circumstances since the uprisings that swept the Arab world…

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A police officer clashes with a photographer in Taksim Square. (Reuters/Murad Sezer)

Danger on Turkey’s streets: Reporting on the civil unrest

It all changed so swiftly. The demand and price of gas masks, protective eyewear, and helmets rocketed in Istanbul. Not only protestors, but journalists, too, contributed to the rush. Hardware store clerks were quick studies, explaining to journalists which masks offer you a better line of sight when taking pictures, and describing the problem of…

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Turkish mayor harasses BBC journalist on Twitter

New York, June 24, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a spurious and inflammatory Twitter campaign begun Sunday by Ankara Mayor Melih Gökçek against a local BBC reporter. Gökçek labeled BBC reporter Selin Girit as a traitor and a spy in apparent disagreement with the BBC’s coverage of anti-government protests that have swept the country.

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Police fire tear gas at protesters in Ankara earlier this week. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic)

In crackdown on dissent, Turkey detains press, raids outlet

Istanbul, June 20, 2013–Two journalists were detained and one newsroom raided this week as Turkish authorities continued a broad crackdown on dissent, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the government to halt its obstruction of journalists seeking to cover the protests that have swept the nation.

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Journalists in exile 2013

Somalis, Syrians flee violence; Iran crackdown deepens Fifty-five journalists fled their homes in the past year with help from the Committee to Protect Journalists. The most common reason to go into exile was the threat of violence, such as in Somalia and Syria, two of the most deadly countries in the world for the profession.…

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Journalists were attacked, detained, and obstructed while reporting on clashes between police and protesters on Sunday. (Reuters/Serkan Senturk)

Journalists detained, beaten, obstructed in Istanbul

Istanbul, June 17, 2013–Anti-press violence intensified in Istanbul on Sunday as police aggressively sought to obstruct reporters covering demonstrations against the government, according to news reports and CPJ interviews. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities to halt their harassment of the press.

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Turkey fines TV stations for protest coverage

Istanbul, June 14, 2013–The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Turkish state media regulator to reverse its decision to penalize four TV stations in connection with their coverage of the demonstrations that have occurred nationwide over the past two weeks.

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Angered by the station's news coverage, protesters in Istanbul destroyed an NTV news van.(CPJ/Özgür Öğret)

For Turkish media, Taksim story reveals flaws, threats

The coverage of the Taksim Square protests will not be remembered as a moment of glory for a number of Turkish mainstream media. While demonstrators were being tear-gassed and beaten by police a week ago, CNN Türk was airing a documentary on penguins and Habertürk had a debate on mental illness. 

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A TV journalist reports on the protests in Istanbul. Several journalists have been targeted while covering the clashes in the country. (AP/Kostas Tsironis)

Several journalists targeted covering clashes in Turkey

Istanbul, June 6, 2013–Turkish police have targeted journalists photographing law enforcement clashes with protesters in a series of attacks, detentions, and obstructions documented by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

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Violent clashes between police and protesters have led to the deputy prime minister issuing a veiled threat to impose Internet restrictions. (AP/Burhan Ozbilici)

In Turkey, threats to restrict Internet, journalists attacked

Istanbul, June 5, 2013–Turkish authorities should not interfere with the free flow of information online or in any other media, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today after a senior government official suggested Internet restrictions could be in the offing. 

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