FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Journalists Gulistan Tara and Hero Behadin's file delivered to EU Representation 

  The file prepared regarding the death of journalists Gulistan Tara and Hero Behadin was delivered to the EU Iraq Representation, which visited the Kurdistan Region.
• People prevent Turkish state forces attempting to detain a journalist in Batman 

  The state forces that threatened journalists with guns and tried to kidnap Yeni Yaşam employee Veysi Akören fled after the people's reaction.
• Mesopotamian Women Journalists Association: 6 journalists taken into custody 

  The Mesopotamian Women Journalists Association (MKG) has released its October report on rights violations faced by female journalists.
• Turkish court orders confiscation of Yeni Yaşam newspaper 

  A Court in Turkey ordered the confiscation of the 4 November issue of the Yeni Yaşam newspaper because it published a photo of Abdullah Öcalan.
• Journalists beaten by police in Batman 

  New footage of the violence against JinNews journalist Pelşin Çetinkaya and Yeni Yaşam newspaper employee Veysi Aküren has emerged. The violence continued all the way to the police station.
• 11 journalists sentenced to prison in Turkey in October 

  According to the DFG report, 11 journalists were sentenced, 9 were detained, 11 were subjected to ill-treatment, 7 were threatened in Turkey in October.
• Gendarmes raid house where journalists Ren and Yıldız stayed in Adıyaman 

  The house where journalists Derya Ren and Kamber Yıldız stayed in Adıyaman, was raided by gendarmes.
• Yeni Yaşam newspaper employee detained in Dersim 

  Yeni Yaşam newspaper employee Azime Bozkurt was detained in Dersim. The newspaper publishes in the tradition of the free Kurdish press and its staff is subject to arbitrary persecution.
• New investigation against journalist Abdurrahman Gök already on trial 

  In the ongoing ‘terror’ trial against Abdurrahman Gök, it came out that the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated new proceedings against the 44-year-old journalist.
• Trials of journalists Dicle Müftüoğlu and Abdurrahman Gök to resume this week 

  In the next few days, the proceedings against Dicle Müftüoğlu and Abdurrahman Gök will continue in Amed. Both journalists face long prison sentences. The Dicle Firat Journalists Association is calling for solidarity.
• 62 civil society and press organizations condemn Turkey’s decision to shutter Açık Radyo 

  Press freedom and freedom of expression groups, media outlets and civil society condemn the regulator’s decision to shutter Açık Radyo in Turkey.
• Yeni Yaşam newspaper issue to be confiscated over the headline ‘The Kurds’ dream is to meet Öcalan’ 

  The Turkish judiciary continues measures against the publications of the Kurdish people.
• ETHA editor Pınar Gayıp taken into custody 

  ETHA editor Pınar Gayıp was detained at the police station where she went to give a statement about a criminal complaint against her.
• Radio and Television Supreme Council revokes Açik Radyo's terrestrial license 

  Açik Radyo’s terrestrial broadcasting license has been revoked by RTÜK. The radio invited its “listeners, professional organizations and the international community to speak out against this decision.”
• Journalist Serhildan Andan detained in Amed 

  Serhildan Andan, a journalist, was detained in Amed. The DFG, of whose board he is a member, said that the government, afraid of the truth, is trying to criminalise the work of journalists and fabricate crimes.
• Xwebûn Newspaper Editor-in-Chief sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison 

  Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Editor-in-Chief of Xwebûn Newspaper, was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
• Journalist Pelin Özkaptan sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison 

  Journalist Pelin Özkaptan was sentenced to 1 year, 6 months and 22 days in prison for her posts about Eylem Ataş, who fell fighting against ISIS in Rojava.
• European delegation of journalists calls for action against any attack on media workers 

  "Wherever a journalist has been killed in the world, it is clear that there is an attempt to hide the truth. Therefore, killing a journalist is killing the truth and hiding crimes," said the European delegation of journalists in Sulaymaniyah.
• Journalists examine the site where Hêro Bahadîn and Gülistan Tara were killed by a Turkish attack 

  A delegation of journalists from Europe examined the scene where the Turkish state killed journalists Hêro Bahadîn and Gülistan Tara in Sulaymaniyah.
• International delegation of journalists holds a series of meetings in Sulaymaniyah 

  Journalists from Europe held a series of meetings in Sulaymaniyah regarding the killing of Gülistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn by a targeted Turkish attack in August.
• MKG celebrates Kurdish Women Journalists Day 

  The MKG celebrated Kurdish Women Journalists Day, and paid tribute to murdered journalists. "The legacy they left behind will further strengthen the spirit of resistance of the free press. Kurdish women journalists will not leave the truth in the dark."
• International journalists arrive in South Kurdistan to investigate the killing of Tara and Bahadîn 

  An international delegation of journalists has arrived in South Kurdistan to find out more about the background to the murder of Gulistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn, murdered in a Turkish drone attack.
• MKG announces its September report 

  “While women journalists are constantly subjected to judicial pressure for reporting news, they face obstructions by police, soldiers or gangs in the field,” the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Association said.
• Academic in solidarity with Özgür Gündem newspaper sentenced to prison 

  Academic Beyza Üstün, who participated in Özgür Gündem newspaper's ‘Editor-in-Chief on Watch’ campaign, was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison.
• KCK Press Trial against 46 press members adjourned 

  The 32nd hearing of the KCK Press Trial, in which the Turkish judicial system targeted 46 press members, was held in Istanbul. The hearing was adjourned to January.