Turkey's political leaders have demonstrated their willingness to launch sweeping censorship campaigns against journalists who report on developments that could jeopardize projects such as "My Family Is Safe" or question the role of the government and public authorities in financial misconduct.
Meanwhile, following the revocation of Açık Radyo's broadcasting license in 2024 and the seizure of TELE1 and appointment of a government trustee in 2025, authorities have now moved to silence the T24 news website, reflecting the government's continued pursuit of policies aimed at weakening independent journalism and media outlets over the past three years, which could lead to a media landscape dominated by a single voice.
Published for 25 years, the BİA Media Monitoring Report, whose latest quarterly edition runs 61 pages, provides extensive data about efforts to silence journalism having become part of the government's strategy ahead of the 2028 elections. Highlighting the scale of judicial pressure, the report documents the arrest of seven journalists in just three months, access restrictions on the X accounts of 16 journalists and eight media outlets, the blocking of at least 52 online news reports and the shutdown of T24 over allegations of "LGBT propaganda," the report shows that that authorities have "stepped up efforts to silence critical media."
Unprecedented online censorship!
The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) and penal judgeships of peace imposed censorship on an unprecedented scale against journalists and media outlets reporting on or discussing alleged irregularities in investment funds. The alleged misconduct affected nearly 500,000 people and involved political and financial circles close to the government. Those whose X accounts were subjected to access restrictions included journalists Meral Danyıldız, Sarya Toprak, Esra Tokat, Ersin Eroğlu, Hilmi Hacaloğlu, Canan Kaya, Razi Canikligil, Uğur Gürses, Naz Yavuzarslan, Dinçer Gökçe and Alptekin Dursunoğlu, as well as media outlets bianet, Kısa Dalga and Bizim TV. Reports on the allegations published by Gazete Pencere, Evrensel, Sözcü and Nefes were also blocked.
Over the past three months, access restrictions were also imposed on the X accounts of five journalists, Şirin Payzın, Alican Uludağ, İrfan Değirmenci, Nasuhi Bektaş and Fırat Fıstık, and four media outlets, soL Haber, Özgürüz, Mezopotamya Haber and Sendika.org. At least 52 online news reports covering various topics were blocked, and one publication ban was issued. However, one of the most severe and arbitrary interventions during the period was the shutdown of the T24 news website over allegations of "LGBT propaganda." The censorship, challenged in court by the website's lawyers, also prompted widespread criticism both domestically and internationally.
BIA Media Monitoring Reports
'Disinformation': Four years of judicial notoriety
At least two journalists were convicted and two acquitted in trials held over the past three months, a period that partly coincided with the judicial recess. The notorious Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, which introduced the offense of "publicly disseminating misleading information" in October 2022, has figured prominently not only in growing investigations and prosecutions of journalists but also in their arrests.
Journalist Neşe İdil was sentenced to two months and 24 days in prison on charges of "praising crime and criminals" over a post on her X account. In Kocaeli, journalist Cihat Polat received a suspended 10-month prison sentence for "violating the inviolability of a residence" after attempting to report on a structure alleged to have been built illegally. The property belonged to Esra Yargıcı, the sister of Radiye Sezer Katırcıoğlu, a Kocaeli lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and Katırcıoğlu's adviser Bülent Yargıcı.
Journalist Timur Soykan was prosecuted on charges of "publicly disseminating misleading information" and "publicly inciting the commission of a crime" over a post on X following the detention of Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tuttere. The post read: "The coup continues. The will of the people is being usurped. The ballot box is losing its meaning." Soykan was acquitted. BirGün reporter Sarya Toprak was also acquitted after standing trial on charges of "publicly disseminating misleading information" over a report about a detained student titled "Don't steal Esila's life and hope."
Seven journalists arrested in three months, Yanardağ held hostage
Pretrial detention, considered an exceptional measure under modern legal standards, is anything but exceptional when it comes to critical or independent journalists in Turkey. In just the past three months, at least seven journalists, Tuğba Tekerek, Ali Tarakcı, Selahattin Günday, Oya Lale Arslan, Fatih Ergin, İrem Delice and Fatma Sibel Gürcihan, were arrested on allegations including "publicly disseminating misleading information" (disinformation), "violating the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Law" and "LGBT propaganda." At least five of these arrests were based on Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, the so-called "disinformation" provision introduced in October 2022. At the time, then-Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ had misled the public by promising that the provision would be applied only in cases of public outrage.
The judiciary continues to refuse to release TELE1 editor-in-chief Merdan Yanardağ, citing the lack of a response from MİT. Yanardağ has been arbitrarily held in pretrial detention for 11 months on "political espionage" charges in a case involving three other defendants, including İstanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
Wave of investigations
At least 17 journalists were named in investigations launched over the past three months on allegations including "publicly disseminating misleading information," "insulting the president," "insult" and "defamation." Seven journalists faced investigations over reports published by BirGün and Sözcü alleging that people had been paid to attend a badge-pinning ceremony held by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the Republican People's Party (CHP).
One particularly troubling and unusual development during the period was an investigation into Dilek Gappi, president of the İzmir Journalists Association, over a statement titled "Journalists Do Not Take Orders from Anyone."
'Insulting the president': 18 defendants, including five cartoonists
Arbitrary prosecutions of journalists in Turkey on charges of "insulting the president" continued over the past three months. At least 18 journalists and cartoonists, Alican Uludağ, Gökay Başcan, Selçuk Özbek, Deniz Yücel, Sedef Kabaş, Baransel Ağca, Erk Acarer, Julien Serignac, Gerard Biard, Laurent Sourisseau, "Alice," Mehmet Tezkan, İbrahim Kahveci, Suat Toktaş, Ramazan Yurttapan, Haydar Ergül, Doğan Pehlevan and Rüstem Batum, faced prosecution and possible prison sentences of up to four years and eight months. No convictions under this provision were recorded during the three-month period, although Ertuğrul Özkök also faced an investigation.
13 detentions and restrictive judicial supervision measures in three months
Between July and September, at least 13 journalists were detained in İstanbul, Ankara, Kırklareli, Kocaeli, Trabzon and Antalya. The detentions were linked to news reports and social media posts concerning the death in prison of former National Intelligence Organization (MİT) official Kaşif Kozinoğlu, police operations targeting LGBTI+ associations and rights defenders, messages concerning Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan and the İmralı delegation, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) case, and the Bartın mine disaster. Some journalists were forced to continue working under judicial supervision measures.
Kayhan Ayhan, one of the journalists placed under judicial supervision after being detained following his coverage of the İBB case, said his requirement to report regularly to authorities had effectively become a punishment: "I signed in for the first time today. This requirement to sign in is becoming a form of punishment because it ties our hands. Despite everything, we will keep writing and practicing journalism..."
Five attacks on journalists in four provinces, threats against Ağırel
At least five journalists were physically attacked in July, August and September. The attacks took place in Silivri, İstanbul; Midyat, Mardin; Karamürsel, Kocaeli; and Kütahya. Investigative journalist Murat Ağırel, who has long faced surveillance and threats over his reporting, continued to be targeted, this time through abusive and sexist social media messages directed at his wife. Commenting on the relentless harassment, Ağırel said, "But I give you my word, I hope the police find this person before I do."
RTÜK penalties over 'impartiality' and 'rule of law'
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed four administrative fines totaling 1.104 million liras on television broadcasters over news coverage and programming between July and September 2026. No radio broadcasters were penalized during the reporting period. The fines were imposed for alleged violations of the principles of "impartiality" in two cases and the "rule of law" in two others.
Media criticism essential to ethical journalism
Journalist and media ombudsman Faruk Bildirici criticized ethically questionable reporting by media outlets across the editorial spectrum in his weekly columns over the past three months.
Following the discovery of actor Serhat Kılıç's body at his home in İstanbul's Kâğıthane district, some news reports emphasized bottles and smoking-related items found at the scene. This coverage drew criticism from Prof. Yasemin Giritli İnceoğlu and Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı.
At a time when judicial authorities were using "disinformation" charges as a weapon against critical journalism, the Justice Ministry announced plans to establish "Digital Security and Anti-Disinformation Bureaus" in courthouses.
Constitutional Court remains a source of hope in challenges to detention and legislation
The Constitutional Court (AYM) ruled that Kazım Güleçyüz, former editor-in-chief of Yeni Asya newspaper, should receive 368,500 liras in nonpecuniary damages for violations of his right to liberty and security and freedom of expression. Güleçyüz had been arrested in 2024 on allegations of "terrorist organization propaganda" over a condolence message following the death of Fethullah Gülen. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) also challenged RTÜK's licensing regime for online broadcasting before the Constitutional Court, arguing that it poses a threat to digital media.
Yıldız Tar takes 100-day imprisonment case to ECtHR
No rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) concerning press or freedom of expression rights involving journalists or media organizations in Turkey were identified during the past three months. However, an application challenging arbitrary detention was filed with the ECtHR on behalf of journalist Yıldız Tar, who had been imprisoned for 100 days.
The fight against impunity continues!
It took 32 years for judicial and other relevant authorities to begin efforts to determine the whereabouts of the person who planted the bomb that killed investigative journalist and Cumhuriyet columnist Uğur Mumcu, as well as the person's family.
In trials concerning the murder of Hrant Dink, members of the Pelitli Group in Trabzon and several security officials prosecuted for their responsibility in failing to prevent the killing received sentences. However, no action was taken against those who had helped pave the way for the murder by targeting Dink through demonstrations, public campaigns and statements.
The retrial of those who severely beat Yeniçağ columnist Yavuz Selim Demirağ in Ankara on May 10, 2019, during an election campaign, will continue on Dec 17. Two defendants acquitted in 2024 for lack of evidence in connection with a 2023 armed attack on journalist Yaman Kaya in Bursa are being retried before a Bursa heavy penal court. The trial of İsa Can Biler, who was arrested and later released after firing 10 shots at the İzmir office of Evrensel newspaper on the night of Aug 13, 2025, has also been adjourned until Jan 14. (ÖE/HA/VK)
