Halil İbrahim Balta Archives - Committee to Protect Journalists

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addresses members of Turkey's parliament in Ankara on October 16, 2018. A court convicted three journalists of insulting the president in the pro-Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem. (AFP/Adem Altan)

Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of October 18

October 25, 2018 1:37 PM EDT

Court sentences journalists over Özgür Gündem campaignAn Istanbul court on October 24 sentenced three journalists to jail for “insulting the president” in the now shuttered pro-Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem, the daily Evrensel reported.

Morning mists over the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey in January 2018. A Turkish court on March 8, 2018, sentenced at least 22 journalists on terrorism-related charges, according to media reports. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic)

Turkey sentences at least 22 journalists on terrorism-related charges

March 8, 2018 4:42 PM EST

Istanbul, March 8, 2018–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned a Turkish court’s decision today to sentence at least 22 journalists to prison on terrorism-related charges, and called on Turkish authorities to release them without delay.

People reflected on glass with Turkish a flag at a bus station in Istanbul in July 2016. A proposed bill presented to Turkey's parliament on February 2 would force online broadcasters, including YouTube and Netflix Turkey, to be licensed and regulated by the federal TV and radio watchdog group RTÜK, according to local reports. (AP/Petros Karadjias)

Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of February 5, 2018

February 8, 2018 2:05 PM EST

Journalists detained Istanbul police on February 1 detained Ali Sönmez Kayar, a reporter for the socialist Etkin News Agency (ETHA), according to his employer’s tweet. A local court ordered Kayar to be held in custody pending investigation, on February 6, ETHA reported without providing further details.

Security forces stand guard atop a building in Istanbul as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gives a speech in favor of amendments to the constitution that would increase his powers, March 26, 2017. (Reuters/Murad Sezer)

Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of April 2, 2017

April 3, 2017 10:59 AM EDT

Cumhuriyet journalists respond to indictment Cumhuriyet journalists Kadri Gürsel and Murat Sabuncu, who were listed in an indictment against the Turkish daily earlier this week, reacted to the accusations presented to the court, online newspaper Demokrat Haber and Cumhuriyet reported yesterday.

Abdullah Kılıç (Courtesy of Kılıç family)

Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of March 26, 2017

March 27, 2017 10:23 AM EDT

Istanbul court orders release, pending trial, of at least 19 journalists Istanbul’s 25th Court for Serious Crimes today ordered the release, pending trial, of at least 19 journalists imprisoned in direct relation for their work following the July 2016 failed military coup, according to news reports. The court did not drop any charges against the…