The Free Journalists Initiative (Özgür Gazeteciler İnisiyatifi - ÖGİ) issued its last report for 2018.

The Free Journalists Initiative Report said that "Turkey is getting further away from a democratic society as politics, law, economy, social life and culture are getting more and more dominated by an authoritarian regime."

As to freedom of the press in Turkey the Report said: "Reporters Without Borders in its 2018 World Press Freedom puts Turkey at the 157th place of the total 180 countries analysed. Figures provided by the International Press Institute (IPI), since July 15 coup attempt in Turkey show that some 170 newspapers, magazines, radio and TV channels were closed and 3, 230 journalists lost their jobs."

The report pointed out that Kurdish journalists, who were killed in “unidentified murders” and had their newspapers offices bombed as part of policies of war, were among the primary targets of the forces that dominated this country.

“Attacks against Kurdish journalists, as in the case of Azadiya Welat Newspaper worker Kadir Bağdu who was killed 4 years ago and whose murderers are yet to be brought to light, are today directed against dissident journalists and the entire profession due to the failure to manifest a common stance because of the walls built by the ruling power among advocates of truth."

Balance

ÖGİ detailed violations in 2018 as follows:

"141 journalists were detained.

64 journalists were arrested.

* 7 journalists were subject to an investigation.

* 71 journalists were sued.

* 521 journalists tried.

* 121 journalists were sentenced to prison and fined. (112 journalists were sentenced to a total of 546 years, 9 months and 20 days of imprisonment, and three journalists were sentenced to life imprisonment and 6 journalists were fined to 40 thousand Turkish Lira).

* 2 television stations got a fine of 1 million 80 thousand Turkish Lira. One TV station was banned for 5 programs and one TV was banned from advertisement.

* 14 agency and newspaper internet sites were blocked by BTK many times.

* Between 1 January 2016 and 29 November 2018, 1,954 yellow press cards were canceled.

* 4 media outlets were closed.

* A trustee was appointed to one newspaper and a printing house.

* One journalist was deported.

* Four press organizations were raided by police.

* 54 journalists were dismissed (some resigned)

* One journalist was killed.

* 42 journalists were released within the year.

* As of 31 December 2018, 171 journalists are in prison, convicted or awaiting sentence."