FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Court sentences MA journalists Eser and Topaloğlu to 6 years and 3 months in prison 

  Two former journalists for Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Sadiye Eser and Sadık Topaloğlu, have been sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for "being a member of an illegal organization."
• Journalists file a criminal complaint against violent police officers 

  Journalists Elif Bayburt (ETHA) and Doğan Kaynak (MA) filed charges in Istanbul for police violence they suffered while observing a rally. Both declared that they would continue to report on the resistance in Turkey.
• 16 journalists jailed in Turkey for three months without charge 

  For three months, 16 Kurdish media workers have been held in Turkish prisons without charge. The conditions of detention are getting worse and worse.
• Police blacklist and bring journalist Müftüoğlu to trial 

  The General Directorate of Security blacklisted 20 journalists, including DFG Co-Chair Dicle Müftüoğlu and TGS Chair Gökhan Durmuş. The blacklisting was revealed in a classified document attached to the case file of journalist Müftüoğlu.
• DFG report for August: Number of journalists in prison rose to 79 

  According to the Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association, two more journalists were jailed in Turkey in August, bringing the number of journalists behind bars to 79.
• Journalist Ziya Ataman strip searched and put in isolation cell after prison transfer 

  Arrested journalist Ziya Ataman said that he was strip searched in Dumlu No. 2 High Security Prison, to which he was transferred, and was put in a solitary cell.
• Two journalists face prison for doing their job 

  Journalists Rozerin Gültekin (JinNews) and Ergin Çağlar (MA) face a prison sentence of up to three years in Turkey because they went to report on a demonstration against the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan held in Bursa.
• MKM organises solidarity night with 16 journalists in prison 

  The MKM has organized a solidarity night at Şişli Cemil Candaş Cultural Center on Sunday night for the 16 imprisoned journalists and free press.
• Dersim Labor and Democracy Platform expresses solidarity with newspaper Evrensel 

  The Dersim Labor and Democracy Platform protested the cancellation of the right to publish official advertisements of the newspaper Evrensel, and called on the BİK to abandon its decision.
• Journalist Karakaş says he and other prisoners are on hunger strike in Kürkçüler jail 

  Journalist Ibrahim Karakaş, who is being held in Kürkçüler Prison, said that they started a 5-day alternating hunger strike as of 14 July due to the arbitrary behaviour in the prison and the rejection of their demands.
• MKM promotes night of solidarity for journalists in prison 

  The MKM released the promotional video of the night of solidarity it is going to organize for the free press.
• Jailed journalist Alağaş: Struggle feeds our soul 

  In a letter from prison, arrested journalist Safiye Alağaş said that JinNews is an important part of the women's struggle and added: “At bottom, there is an attack against the women's struggle, not JinNews. I believe that all women will embrace JinNews.”
• Oruç: We are journalists, we are right, and we will write again 

  In a letter from prison, journalist Aziz Oruç said that jailed journalists longed for the day when the lawlessness would end in Turkey. “We are journalists, we are right, we will go out of prisons and write again,” he said.
• Jailed journalist Bulut: The prison administration want us to pay electricity bills! 

  Today marks the 60th day of detention for 16 journalists. One of them, Zeynel Abidin Bulut, who is being held in Diyarbakır High Prison No. 2, said that they were sent electricity bills to pay.
• Journalist Mahir Fırat Fidan taken into custody in Amed 

  About 30 people were detained in the political police operations in Amed, Hakkari, Van and Adana carried out on Saturday. Journalist Mahir Fırat Fidan was detained during house raids in Amed.
• 16 journalists arrested in Amed remain in prison  

  The 16 journalists arrested in Amed remain in prison as requests to have the arrest warrants lifted have been rejected. Lawyer Resul Temir says that the European Convention on Human Rights and the Turkish Constitution have been violated.
• Journalists Ataman and Karer transferred from Van Prison to Erzurum Dumlu No. 2 High Security Prison 

  Journalists Ziya Ataman and Sinan Karer, who were imprisoned in Van High Security Prison, were transferred to Erzurum Dumlu No. 2 High Security Prison.
• Women Journalists’ Platform reports 161 rights violations in 7 months 

  161 rights violations were registered in the first 7 months of the year in Turkey, according to a recent MKGP report covering rights violations against women journalists.
• Journalists’ Association awards Kurdish journalists 

  The Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC) gave awards to journalists who could not do their jobs in the persons of 16 Kurdish journalists arrested in June.
• Journalists in prison denied refrigerators and television 

  Ebru Görken, sister of Ömer Çelik, one of the 12 Kurdish journalists who were transferred from the D-Type to the F-Type Diyarbakır Prison, drew attention to the fact that no refrigerators or televisions were given after one month.
• DFG report for July: 13 journalists attacked, 77 still in prison 

  The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association reported that 13 journalists were attacked, and 16 news sites were blocked in the month of July. The DFG report revealed that 77 journalists are still in prison.
• Documentary about martyr journalist Nûjiyan Erhan screened in Şêxmeqsûd 

  Kevana Zêrîn Movement produced a documentary about the life of martyr journalist Nûjiyan Erhan which was screened in Şêxmeqsûd, Aleppo.
• Basque paper Berria publishes blog in solidarity with Kurdsh journalists in prison 

  The Basque daily paper Berria has published a blog in solidarity with Kurdish journalists in prison.
• "Under Attack", an exhibition to expose attacks suffered by journalists  

  An exhibition titled "Under Attack", which describes the attacks suffered by journalists during news coverage, opened at Kıraathane Istanbul Literature House.
• Journalists working in South Kurdistan: We are threatened by the KDP and the Turkish state 

  Free press workers operating in South Kurdistan said that they were threatened by the KDP and the Turkish state.