Turkiye: 5 Journalists Detained, Media Offices Searched in Escalating Attack on Kurdish Press
Police detain five journalists— Reyhan Hacıoğlu (Van), Rahime Karvar, Necla Demir, Welat Ekin & Ahmet Güneş (Istanbul)—in morning raids on their homes and media offices.
Turkiye: Police Assault Journalist Fatoş Sarıkaya, Preventing Filming of Protests
Police in Mersin beat and obstruct Fatoş Sarıkaya from filming, throwing her press card to the ground.
Turkiye: Öznur Değer Faces Legal and Online Harassment After Confronting Police Officer’s Sexist Remarks
Authorities launch an investigation into JİN News reporter Öznur Değer for "insulting a public official." Probe initiated after she stood up to a police officer’s sexist remarks during a protest in Mêrdîn against the killing of two Kurdish journalists in Syria.
Turkiye: Seyhan Avşar Accused of 'Terror Propaganda' Over Reporting on Journalists’ Killing
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a criminal investigation against the independent news outlet T24 and journalist Seyhan Avşar.
Turkiye: Journalists Face Arrests for Demanding Justice for Murdered Kurdish Colleagues
Nine people, including seven journalists, were detained in Şişhane, Istanbul, while attempting to hold a press statement in memory of murdered Kurdish journalists Jihan Belki and Nazım Daştan.
Turkiye: Özlem Gürses Under House Arrest for Alleged Comments on Armed Forces
Journalist Özlem Gürses was placed under house arrest on December 21, 2024 after comments on her YouTube channel were misinterpreted as criticism of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Turkiye: 9 Journalists Detained in Van During Protest Against Killings of Kurdish Reporters
Police in Van attacked and detained journalists and activists protesting the killing of Kurdish journalists Jihan Belki and Nazim Dashdam in a Turkish drone strike in North Syria.
Syria: Turkish Drone Strike Kills Kurdish Journalists Jihan Belkin and Nazim Dashdam
WPF is outraged by the Turkish drone strike that killed journalists Jihan Belkin and Nazim Dashdam near the Tishrin Dam, on the outskirts of Kobani. They were reporting on attacks on the dam when, according to local human rights groups, their vehicle was "directly" targeted.
Turkiye: Çiğdem Akbayrak Faces Renewed Legal Harassment for 2018 Tweet
Journalist Çiğdem Akbayrak faces trial for "insulting the president" over a 2018 tweet criticizing Turkey's Afrin military operation. Despite the Constitutional Court ruling that the initial decision violated her rights, the case has been reopened.
Turkiye: WPF Condemns Detention & Intimidation of Nevşin Mengü Following Interview with Syrian-Kurdish Leader
Detained and released under judicial control, Mengü is now under a travel ban. A bot-driven smear campaign has also been used to target her online.
Turkiye: Court Orders Detention of Ayşe Kara in Retrial Over Baseless “Terrorism” Charges
Court issues a detention order for exiled journalist Ayşe Kara during her retrial on charges of "membership in a terrorist organization."
Turkiye: Multiple Journalists Detained in Nationwide Police Raids, WPF Demands Their Immediate Release
Several media workers detained in coordinated morning raids across the country. Among those detained are Roza Metina, Bilge Aksu, Ahmet Sümbül, and Erdoğan Alayumat.
Turkiye: Kurdish Journalist Beritan Canözer's Prison Sentence Upheld
On November 22, 2024, the Court of Cassation has upheld Beritan Canözer’s prison sentence for "terrorist propaganda," stemming from her social media posts from 2013-2016.
Turkiye: WPF Demands an End to Political Intimidation as Party Leader Insults Hilal Köylü
After questioning Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli on potential disagreements with President Erdoğan, journalist Hilal Köylü faced public scolding and was told to "quit her profession."
Turkiye: Women Press Freedom Condemns Police Violence Against Pelşin Çetinkaya Covering Protests in Batman
Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the alarming escalation of police violence against women journalists in Turkiye. We are particularly appalled by the recent brutal attack on respected journalist Pelşin Çetinkaya, who was detained and tortured while covering public protests against trustee appointments in Batman.
Turkiye: WPF Calls on X to Unblock Amberin Zaman’s Account and Resist Censorship
Despite the innocuous nature of her tweet, Turkish authorities interpreted it as politically sensitive, leading to the court's decision to block Zaman’s account.
Turkiye: Aysın Komitgan Investigated for "Terrorist Propaganda" Over On-Air Slip-Up
WPF firmly denounces this aggressive action. It is unacceptable for her to lose her job and face terrorism charges due to a slip of the tongue while reacting to breaking news live on TV. We demand the case be dropped and that Komitgan be freed.
Turkiye: Açık Radyo Shut Down by Authorities in Attempt to Stifle Press Freedom
We stand in solidarity with the journalists and staff of Açık Radyo and urge Turkish authorities to reverse this decision
Turkiye: Police Detain Derya Ren and Zeynep Durgut , Violently Disperse Peace Vigil
WPF condemns this crackdown on press freedom and peaceful protest. Journalists must be free to report without facing police violence. We demand the reporters are immediately freed.
Turkiye: WPF Denounces Legal Action Against Asuman Aranca For Her Reporting on Murder Case
Journalist Asuman Aranca is facing charges for "violation of privacy" after reporting on the Sinan Ateş murder case. The prosecutor demands punishment, claiming her coverage "exceeded the limits" of press freedom.