Turkish journalist Mehmet Karakeçili beaten, Hale Gönültaş threatened
Istanbul, September 7, 2023—Turkish authorities should ensure the safety of journalists Mehmet Karakeçili and Hale Gönültaş and hold to account those responsible for recent incidents involving the journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On the evening of August 29, Karakeçili, chief editor for the local news website Virantv in the southeastern city of…
Turkish authorities again block Voice of America’s Turkish website
Istanbul, August 29, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkish authorities to reverse their recent decision to block access to the Turkish-language website of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Voice of America. “Turkish authorities’ relentless attempts to control the flow of news and information in the country have led to yet another court order blocking…
Turkish journalist Barış Pehlivan ordered to return to prison over alleged parole violation
Istanbul, August 9, 2023—Turkish authorities should not force Barış Pehlivan to return to prison for allegedly violating his parole in a 2020 case involving his reporting on a Turkish intelligence officer, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. Pehlivan, a columnist for the pro-opposition daily Cumhuriyet, revealed in an August 2 column that he was…
Turkey suspends critical outlet TELE1 for a week
Istanbul, August 8, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned a court’s implementation of a seven-day suspension of critical online outlet and TV broadcaster TELE1 following an order by the official media watchdog the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK). “The court-imposed suspension of TELE1 due to an RTÜK order, along with the imprisonment of the outlet’s…
Turkish authorities detain 5 journalists over tweet, 1 remains in custody
Istanbul, July 26, 2023—Turkish authorities should immediately release reporter Fırat Can Arslan and stop treating journalists like criminals, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, July 25, Turkish police detained Arslan, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, at his house in the capital city of Ankara, in relation to an investigation…
Terrorism trial of 17 Kurdish journalists, media worker begins in Turkey
Diyarbakır, July 11, 2023—In response to Tuesday’s opening of the trial of 17 Kurdish journalists and a media worker on terrorism charges in a court in Diyarbakır, Turkey, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Turkish authorities must immediately release the defendants and drop the terrorism charges, which are solely based on their…
CPJ joins statement calling for EU to prioritize media freedom and human rights in relations with Turkey
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 19 other journalists organizations and press freedom, human rights, and freedom of expression groups in a joint statement on June 28, 2023, urging the European Union to prioritize media freedom and human rights in dealings with Turkey, following May elections in which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice…
Turkish journalist Merdan Yanardağ arrested over political commentary
Istanbul, June 28, 2023—Turkish authorities should release journalist Merdan Yanardağ and stop hindering free speech and commentary in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Monday, June 26, police detained Yanardağ, chief editor for the critical online outlet and TV broadcaster TELE1, at the Istanbul studios of his outlet, after he criticized…
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabaş facing new trial for ‘insulting’ President Erdoğan
Istanbul, June 22, 2023—In response to an Istanbul court on Thursday, June 22, denying the request to dismiss another charge of “insulting the president” filed against journalist Sedef Kabaş, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Turkish authorities’ persistence in putting journalist Sedef Kabaş on trial for allegedly insulting the president is a…
Turkish journalist Sinan Aygül hospitalized after attack by Tatvan mayor’s bodyguards
Istanbul, June 20, 2023 — Turkish authorities should hold to account all those involved in the recent assault of local journalist Sinan Aygül, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On June 17, two men attacked Aygül, chief editor of the privately owned website Bitlis News and chair of the Bitlis Journalists Society, in the…