FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Latest News

• Second hearing of the trial against Kurdish writer Roza Metina to take place today 

  The second hearing of the trial against Roza Metina, writer and Kurdish editor of Jin News, will be held today in Diyarbakır.
• 8 journalists attacked, access to 211 news titles blocked in August 

  According to the August report of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, 5 journalists were detained, 8 journalists were investigated, 8 journalists were attacked, access to 211 news and 6 websites was blocked.
• Kurdistan Digital Media Council established 

  Kurdish people living in many parts of the world, especially in the four parts of Kurdistan, announced the establishment of the Kurdistan Digital Media Council.
• Journalist Ehmed: We are very lucky to witness this historic resistance 

  ANHA correspondent Dicle Ehmed said that “the forces, consisting of the children of Manbij, took part in the liberation of Kobanê and Sirin, not only in their own cities, and fought against ISIS in many other places.”
• Jinnews journalist Beritan Canözer taken into custody 

  Jinnews journalist Beritan Canözer was taken into custody this morning.
• Court sentences journalist Karakaş to nine years and nine months in prison 

  Journalist İbrahim Karakaş of Yeni Yaşam newspaper has been sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison.
• Information and Communication Technologies Authority blocks access to Jin News 

  Access to Jin News has been blocked for the 32nd by the Turkish authorities.
• RAM FM begins broadcasting this morning 

  RAM FM opened in Qamishlo and started broadcasting as of 8 am this morning.
• RAJIN pays tribute to journalist Deniz Fırat 

  RAJIN issued a written statement on the anniversary of the martyrdom of journalist Deniz Fırat, who fell in the attack carried out by ISIS in 2014 in Maxmur.
• Police violence against journalists 

  Media workers in Turkey are increasingly being hindered in their work by the police. Freelance journalist Emre Orman was hit in the face at an event in Istanbul.
• Altan: Journalism is considered to be a "crime" in Turkey 

  "The AKP-MHP government is putting pressure on the free media because they want to connect all the media to themselves," said DFG Co-Chair Serdar Altan, and added that journalism is considered a "crime" in Turkey.
• Turkey continued to crack down on journalists in July 

  The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) has released its July report on rights violations against journalists.
• MA journalist says torture is a policy of state 

  Mezopotamya Agency journalist, Enes Sezgin, was battered by racist groups and police while covering a news. "This torture of journalists and people is a state policy," he said.
• Journalists file complaint against police violence against press members 

  The Media and Legal Studies Association denounced the police violence against journalists during the Suruç commemoration in Istanbul and filed a criminal complaint against the police officers who used violence.
• CFWIJ demands action to end police brutality against journalists in Turkey 

  The international association CFWIJ sees police violence against women journalists in Turkey and Northern Kurdistan as one of the most pressing problems for press freedom and has launched a petition.
• Writer Gökhan Yavuzel attacked in Wales after exposing 'hit list' 

  Writer Gökhan Yavuzel, one of the names on a ‘hit list’ shared on a social media account, was attacked in Wales.
• Security forces attack 44 women journalists in Turkey in 2021 

  The Women in Journalism Coalition announced that 44 women journalists were attacked by law enforcement officers in Turkey in 2021.
• Journalists' Association condemns police violence against Suruç commemoration 

  The police used violence against journalists who were covering the commemoration event for victims of Şuruç massacre in Istanbul. Several journalists were injured by the shields and rubber bullets of the police.
• German police warn critical journalist from Turkey 

  Police have warned critical journalist Celal Başlangıç, who lives in Germany, that he is on an "execution list" and that his safety is in danger.
• Journalist Erk Acarer receives threatening message  

  Journalist Erk Acarer said that a threatening message was left in the garden of his house. Acerer was attacked a couple of weeks ago.
• CPJ sends letter to Turkish authorities calling for press card reform 

  The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has sent a letter to Presidency’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun. Calling for a press card reform, the Committee has said, “We urge you to abandon your hostile rhetoric toward journalists in Turkey.”
• Trials against Özgür Gündem and Özgürlükçü Demokrasi postponed to November 

  The trials against Özgür Gündem Newspaper editor-in-chief Hüseyin Aykol and other journalists, and journalists from Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, both closed by Decree-Law, were postponed.
• Prison sentence for article about German Erdoğan cartoons 

  Due to an article about German Erdogan cartoons from 2015, Evrensel editor Cem Şimşek has been sentenced to almost one year in prison in Istanbul for presidential insult.
• Journalist Erk Acarer, in exile in Berlin, attacked and beaten up in his flat 

  Journalist Erk Acarer, who lived in exile in Berlin, was attacked in his Berlin apartment and beaten up.
• Erdoğan among the “Press freedom predators” on RSF list 

  RSF’s 2021 “Press freedom predators” gallery – old tyrants, two women and a European.