content tagged with freedom of press

Prison sentence for a news report on Justice Ministry Deputy Akın Gürlek

Prison sentence for a news report on Justice Ministry Deputy Akın Gürlek

Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court has sentenced ANKA News Editor-in-Chief Mansur Çelik to 6 months in prison due to the news article titled "Prominent Judge Making Waves in Turkey's Agenda."

19 January 2024

'Journalists have been targeted with the Disinformation Law'

'Journalists have been targeted with the Disinformation Law'

Erol Önderoğlu from RSF stated that the space accessible to the international press mission within the government has narrowed in recent years. Özgür Öğret from CPJ, on the other hand, remarked, "The number of imprisoned journalists in Turkey may have reached the lowest level in recent years. However, Turkey still ranks among the worst countries for press freedom."

20 December 2023

Journalists Union of Turkey: 'We will not allow journalism to be destroyed in this country'

Journalists Union of Turkey: 'We will not allow journalism to be destroyed in this country'

We will continue our fight both for freedom of press and freedom of expression and also for our rights, carrying on from where we were," said Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) President Durmuş.

29 May 2023 Hikmet Adal

Police detain journalist in Mersin

Police detain journalist in Mersin

Hamdullah Bayram working for Yeni Yaşam newspaper was detained in the scope of the investigation of the eleven correspondents of Mezopotamya Agency and JINNEWS.

Investigation about journalist closes after seven years

Investigation about journalist closes after seven years

"It was decided that there was no need for a public inquiry into the related event," says the notification sent seven years later to the journalist who was investigated after reporting a demonstration in Kars.

bianet Kurdish editor Aren Yıldırm detained in police raid

bianet Kurdish editor Aren Yıldırm detained in police raid

The police raided Yıldırım's apartment early in the morning. The prosecutor's office imposed a 24-hour ban on lawyer visits.

Facing up to difficulties 'in the nature of'* journalists of this country

Facing up to difficulties 'in the nature of'* journalists of this country

Murat İnceoğlu, bianet's new editor-in-chief says, "I had to say "Hello" to you from bianet during such a difficult time. Bianet, the first internet news portal of Türkiye, is an old and first love for all of us. This is a new and important period for me. We will bring bianet to where it deserves together with all our friends."

10 February 2023 Murat İnceoğlu

Journalists of Kurdish media outlets: Behind bars for 6 months without indictment

Journalists of Kurdish media outlets: Behind bars for 6 months without indictment

Journalists in Diyarbakır called for justice for their colleagues: "Our friends are taken hostage since June 16 and still there is no indictment prepared. This is because there is no crime and there is no accusation to be made."

16 December 2022

Journalist goes to top court once again after local court refuses to recognize its ruling

Journalist goes to top court once again after local court refuses to recognize its ruling

Hacı Boğatekin wrote a column in his newspaper in 2011 criticizing Mehmet Metiner, recently elected MP from the ruling party, asking him if he was "a renegade or a cow" and he was sentenced to compensation by the local court for insulting the politician.

12 December 2022 Hikmet Adal

bianet's ex-chief editor on trial: 'This is a case aimed at intimidating journalists'

bianet's ex-chief editor on trial: 'This is a case aimed at intimidating journalists'

Nazan Özcan is facing "insult" and "libel" charges over a report covering journalists sued for reporting allegations of bribery about Erdoğan's lawyers.

8 December 2022 Hikmet Adal

News on ‘hidden file in October 10 Ankara Massacre case’ acquitted

News on ‘hidden file in October 10 Ankara Massacre case’ acquitted

The court has ruled for the acquittal of daily Cumhuriyet's Managing Editor Büyüktaş Akça and former Ankara correspondent Uludağ, who reported that the assaulters who committed the 2015 Ankara Massacre had tried to buy explosives in Nizip.

30th censorship on Mezopotamya Agency

30th censorship on Mezopotamya Agency

An access block has been imposed on two websites of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) on the same day.

Letter to jailed journalist Nedim Türfent found ‘objectionable’

Letter to jailed journalist Nedim Türfent found ‘objectionable’

A letter was sent to jailed journalist Nedim Türfent. It explained how the expression “We won't look down” came up, with an article titled “A brief history of the command to look down” attached. Both the letter and the article have been found ‘objectionable.’

‘6 journalists sentenced to 15 years, 2 months in prison in March’

REPORT BY CHP MP ÇAKIRÖZER

‘6 journalists sentenced to 15 years, 2 months in prison in March’

Main opposition CHP MP Utku Çakırözer, also a former journalist, has shared the findings of his report on press freedom in Turkey in March.

Freedom of expression in Turkey in numbers

Freedom of expression in Turkey in numbers

Releasing a figures-based overview of press freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has indicated that over 200 journalists have been imprisoned in Turkey over the past five years.

1 February 2021

State of media in Turkey: ‘Far from reflecting the voice of the public’

FREEDOM RESEARCH ASSOCIATION

State of media in Turkey: ‘Far from reflecting the voice of the public’

Preparing a report for the Freedom Research Association, journalist Derya Sazak says, “First, democracy must be restored and judicial independence must be ensured so that freedom of expression and press can be safeguarded in Turkey.”

25 January 2021

Press Advertising Agency cuts public ads of BirGün over ‘RTÜK’ news

Press Advertising Agency cuts public ads of BirGün over ‘RTÜK’ news

In a news report in October 2020, daily BirGün documented the “public loss” of 450 thousand lira caused by the overseas trips of the members of Turkey’s media authority RTÜK. The public ads of the newspaper are now cut for three days over this report.

12 January 2021

‘We will never give up freedom of press,’ says Erdoğan

WORKING JOURNALISTS DAY

‘We will never give up freedom of press,’ says Erdoğan

On January 10 Working Journalists Day in Turkey, President Erdoğan released a statement expressing Turkey’s determination to “not give up press freedom.” But Turkey ranks 154th among 180 countries in the RSF World Press Freedom Index.

11 January 2021

‘Pressure on journalists became more systematic in 2020’

TIGRIS-EUPHRATES JOURNALISTS’ ASSOCIATION

‘Pressure on journalists became more systematic in 2020’

According to a recent report released by the Tigris-Euphrates Journalists’ Association (DFG), 79 journalists were detained, 24 journalists were arrested and 43 journalists were sentenced to 150 years, 15 days in prison in total in 2020.

CPJ: Turkey is the second worst jailer of journalists after China

CPJ: Turkey is the second worst jailer of journalists after China

According to the 2020 report of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 274 journalists were in jail in relation to their work across the world on December 1, 2020, exceeding the high of 272 in 2016.

16 December 2020

Press freedom in Turkey: At least 40 journalists prosecuted in November

PRESS IN ARREST REPORT

Press freedom in Turkey: At least 40 journalists prosecuted in November

According to the Press in Arrest report, in the trials concerning these 40 journalists, the prosecutor’s offices demanded 2 aggravated life sentences and a total of 201 years, 4 months to 497 years 2 months in prison.

10 December 2020

Journalist Ayşegül Doğan sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison

Journalist Ayşegül Doğan sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison

Journalist Ayşegül Doğan has been sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison. Put on trial over her journalistic activities, Doğan was the Program Coordinator of the İMC TV, which was closed by a Statutory Decree after the coup attempt in 2016.

7 December 2020

Access block to JinNews, again

Access block to JinNews, again

Yet another access block was imposed on the website of JinNews news agency by a court decision on December 4. JinNews now publishes its news on its new address "http://www.jinnews15.xyz/”.

7 December 2020

Journalist Dindar Karataş detained in Van province

Journalist Dindar Karataş detained in Van province

Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Dindar Karataş has been detained in a house raid in İpekyolu district in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority eastern province of Van.

24 November 2020

3 journalists acquitted of ‘insulting’ Berat Albayrak

3 journalists acquitted of ‘insulting’ Berat Albayrak

Uğur Koç, Mustafa Kömüş and İbrahim Aydın, the executives of daily BirGün, have been acquitted of “insulting a public official due to his or her duty” in the lawsuit filed by Albayrak, who has recently resigned from office as the Finance Minister.

20 November 2020

Press freedom in Turkey: 3 journalists appeared before judge per day in October

PRESS IN ARREST REPORT

Press freedom in Turkey: 3 journalists appeared before judge per day in October

From the Press in Arrest Report: “The judiciary continued to be weaponized against journalists in Turkey, as confirmed by the fact that every day in October, an average of 3 journalists had to defend their profession and people’s right to receive news at court.”

11 November 2020

Jinnews censored for the 11th time

Jinnews censored for the 11th time

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has blocked access to the "jinnews8.xyz" address of the Jinnews women’s news website.

23 October 2020

20 journalists arrested, 20 journalists attacked in Turkey in 9 months

20 journalists arrested, 20 journalists attacked in Turkey in 9 months

According to the Report on Violations of Freedom of Thought and Expression prepared by CHP MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, 29 journalists-publishers-writers were convicted and 57 journalists faced an investigation-lawsuit in the first 9 months of 2020.

23 October 2020

Prison sentences upheld in trial of Sözcü newspaper

Prison sentences upheld in trial of Sözcü newspaper

The local court previously ruled that Emin Çölaşan and Necati Doğru should be sentenced to 3 years, 6 months, 15 days; Mustafa Çetin and Metin Yılmaz to 3 years, 4 months; Yücel Arı, Gökmen Ulu and Yonca Yücekaleli to 2 years, 1 month in prison.

14 October 2020

‘Fuat Avni’ lawsuit against daily BirGün ends in acquittal

‘Fuat Avni’ lawsuit against daily BirGün ends in acquittal

Standing trial on charge of “aiding the organization as non-members” for having reported on the tweets posted on “Fuat Avni” account, BirGün journalists have been acquitted. Similar lawsuits filed against Diken and T24 news websites also ended in acquittal.

13 October 2020

4 journalists arrested in Van province

4 journalists arrested in Van province

Taken into custody in Turkey’s eastern province of Van on October 6, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Cemil Uğur and Adnan Bilen, Jinnews reporter Şehriban Abi and journalist Nazan Sala have been arrested.

12 October 2020

4 journalists detained in Van

4 journalists detained in Van

Police raided the office of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) in Turkey’s eastern province of Van, taking four journalists into custody.

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