content tagged with RSF

RSF: Erdoğan’s 10 years of presidency marked by legal harassment, censorship against journalists

RSF: Erdoğan’s 10 years of presidency marked by legal harassment, censorship against journalists

Seventy-seven journalists have been convicted of “insulting the president” since Erdoğan took office in August 2024.

RSF: Turkey’s new 'espionage bill' threatens media supported by international funds

RSF: Turkey’s new 'espionage bill' threatens media supported by international funds

The government is poised to amend the anti-espionage law to prosecute those who are identified as “agents of influence.”

Turkey climbs to 158th in RSF Press Freedom Index

Turkey climbs to 158th in RSF Press Freedom Index

RSF cautions that this should not be interpreted as a positive trend in media freedom within the country.

RSF: Turkey arrested 43 journalists in 2023

RSF: Turkey arrested 43 journalists in 2023

The decrease in the number of journalists who are currently behind bars do not signify an absence of arrests in the country due to continues arrests and subsequent releases, notes the RSF.

14 December 2023

Journalism groups condemn detention of five journalists in house raids

Journalism groups condemn detention of five journalists in house raids

"This premeditated punishment policy needs to stop. The detained journalists should be released immediately, and the grounds for their detentions should be made public," said a union representative.

RSF urges Turkey to stop expelling Syrian journalists

RSF urges Turkey to stop expelling Syrian journalists

While the formal reason for detentions and deportations is usually expired papers, the underlying reason is a shift in Turkey's policies towards Syria, says the group.

Turkey's media authority fines TV outlets over election coverage

Turkey's media authority fines TV outlets over election coverage

RTÜK penalized FOX TV, Halk TV, TELE1 and Flash Haber.

RSF representative raises concerns over media freedom in Turkey following Erdoğan's re-election

RSF representative raises concerns over media freedom in Turkey following Erdoğan's re-election

Önderoğlu highlighted that the elections in Turkey took place in an unfair media environment and called on the president to restore press freedom in the country in his new term.

29 May 2023 Hikmet Adal

RSF attests media system is rigged, denounces biased coverage of Turkey's election

RSF attests media system is rigged, denounces biased coverage of Turkey's election

The campaign of opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has been significantly impeded by an unjust distribution of airtime and editorial control, while the incumbent Erdoğan has utilized tactics like intimidating and detaining independent journalists, as well as acquiring around 85% of the media.

Media chief claims Turkey is the country most at risk of disinformation

Media chief claims Turkey is the country most at risk of disinformation

Fake news and false information have been hazardous and prevalent since the February 6 earthquakes, Turkey's Communications Director, Fahrettin Altun, addressed in a video message.

RSF denounces censorship of earthquake coverage in Turkey

RSF denounces censorship of earthquake coverage in Turkey

"While the country needs transparency more than ever before, these decisions to block access to reports once again serve the purpose of preventing criticism against the government's post-earthquake practices," the RSF representative in Turkey has said.

Türkiye climbs on RSF Press Freedom Index while dropping in points

Türkiye climbs on RSF Press Freedom Index while dropping in points

The country holds 149th place and currently keeps 23 journalists in jail.

14 December 2022

RSF condemns murder of journalist Nagihan Akarsel

RSF condemns murder of journalist Nagihan Akarsel

Akarsel was killed outside of her home in Iraqi Kurdistan. The RSF points out that she was the fifth Kurdish person from Türkiye to be attacked in Iraqi Kurdistan in a year.

RSF denounces politicians' threats against journalists in Türkiye

RSF denounces politicians' threats against journalists in Türkiye

"Judicial impunity and political polarisation are fuelling concern about a new wave of violence against journalists in the run-up to the June 2023 elections," the group said.

Armed attack on NGO offices in Diyarbakır

Armed attack on NGO offices in Diyarbakır

A masked person fired two shots at a building where the offices of several NGOs, including a Kurdish journalism group backed by the RSF, are located.

RSF urges Turkey to end police violence against journalists

RSF urges Turkey to end police violence against journalists

The organization has called on the Interior Ministry to respect journalists covering demonstrations.

Only 31 countries rank worse than Turkey in press freedom

Only 31 countries rank worse than Turkey in press freedom

Of the 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2022 World Press Freedom Index, Turkey has ranked 149th.

Murderers not to stand trial: Jamal Khashoggi case handed over to Saudi Arabia

Murderers not to stand trial: Jamal Khashoggi case handed over to Saudi Arabia

Upon the approval of the Justice Ministry, the high criminal court has relocated the trial over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in İstanbul to Saudi Arabia.

Reporters Without Borders: Turkey must act quickly to protect journalists

Reporters Without Borders: Turkey must act quickly to protect journalists

RSF Representative to Turkey Erol Önderoğlu says that “Güngör Arslan’s murder comes as no surprise to anyone because he constantly received threatening messages without eliciting any reaction from the authorities”.

Jamal Khashoggi murder | One of the suspects caught in Paris

Jamal Khashoggi murder | One of the suspects caught in Paris

“It is excellent news that the French police did not turn a blind eye to the presence in France of Khaled al-Otaibi, a suspected member of the team that carried out the Khashoggi murder,” says RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire.

8 December 2021

Charlie Hebdo on trial in Turkey for 'insulting the President'

COURT CASE BEGINS

Charlie Hebdo on trial in Turkey for 'insulting the President'

In the trial over the cartoon on the cover page of France-based weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the first hearing was held in the absence of defendants at the Ankara 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance today, on November 18, 2021.

18 November 2021

‘Climate crisis’ call to governments by RSF and journalists

‘WE HAVE JUST ONE PLANET'

‘Climate crisis’ call to governments by RSF and journalists

Ahead of the UN COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow on November 1, Reporters Without Borders and over 60 environmental journalists from 34 countries have appealed for respect for the right to cover environmental issues.

1 November 2021

Kurdish media training office opens in Diyarbakır

Kurdish media training office opens in Diyarbakır

Backed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Botan International has established a Kurdish media education office and sound studio in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakır.

2 September 2021

Erdoğan once again on RSF’s list of ‘Press Freedom Predators’

Erdoğan once again on RSF’s list of ‘Press Freedom Predators’

The Reporters Without Borders has once again ranked President and ruling AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on its list of “Press Freedom Predators”, defining “critical journalists” as his "favorite targets”.

‘Turkey uses press cards to put pressure on journalists’

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

‘Turkey uses press cards to put pressure on journalists’

“We ask the government to reinstate an autonomous journalistic entity in order to put an end to biased practices that penalise critical journalists,” says RSF Representative to Turkey Erol Önderoğlu.

International reactions to police violence against photojournalist during Pride March

International reactions to police violence against photojournalist during Pride March

Police officers violently detained AFP photojournalist Bülent Kılıç, who was heard saying "I can't breathe" as officers kneeled on him.

‘Turkey uses terrorism legislation to gag, jail journalists’

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

‘Turkey uses terrorism legislation to gag, jail journalists’

Documenting 12 cases of journalists currently prosecuted in Turkey under terrorism legislation, the RSF says, “Reporters who cover public interest stories in Turkey increasingly risk imprisonment.”

Journalism organizations: Whoever stays silent now is a party to this crime

PEKER'S ALLEGATIONS

Journalism organizations: Whoever stays silent now is a party to this crime

Journalists’ Union of Turkey, Reporters Without Borders and DİSK Press Union have made statements about Sedat Peker’s allegations implying former Interior Minister Mehmet Ağar’s role in the unidentified murders of journalists Mumcu and Adalı.

‘Pressure on journalists was a harbinger of current social crisis’

‘Pressure on journalists was a harbinger of current social crisis’

RSF Representative to Turkey Önderoğlu: “Though the number of arrested journalists has been on the decrease in Turkey in the last 2 years, the practices that put their minds behind bars don’t go unnoticed. Censorship and bans are everywhere…”

20 April 2021 Hikmet Adal

Turkey ranks 153rd in RSF Press Freedom Index

Turkey ranks 153rd in RSF Press Freedom Index

Even if Turkey is no longer the world's biggest jailer of journalists, the government continued to suppress critical journalism through regulatory bodies and judicial action, says the RSF.

Journalists demand reinstatement of rights after top court verdict annulling media closures

Journalists demand reinstatement of rights after top court verdict annulling media closures

We have talked about the recent Constitutional Court ruling with journalists from Hayatın Sesi TV and İMC TV, two outlets closed during the state of emergency after the 2017 coup attempt.

14 April 2021 Hikmet Adal

‘Turkey uses terrorism law to intimidate, silence journalists’

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

‘Turkey uses terrorism law to intimidate, silence journalists’

In an article titled “Journalists threatened with imprisonment under Turkey’s terrorism law”, the RSF has referred to several journalists including Melis Alphan, Canan Coşkun, Sibel Hürtaş and Erol Önderoğlu, who will appear in court this week.

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