Turkiye: Elif Akkuş Arrested in Probe Initiated by Her Former Employer, State Broadcaster TRT
Women Press Freedom demands TRT cease its targeting of the war correspondent. She must be released from detention.
Location: Turkiye, Ankara
Date: May 2, 2024
Yet again, authorities have thrown Elif Akkuş behind bars, this time awaiting trial under accusations of evidence tampering, allegedly tied to her expenditure during coverage of conflicts in Libya and Syria while working for state-run broadcaster TRT. Women Press Freedom notes that this latest development is part of an ongoing pattern of harassment against Akkuş initiated by TRT. After monitoring the continuous targeting of Akkuş, particularly following her litigation against TRT for unfair dismissal, we believe it to be a retaliatory agenda that compromises the integrity of the media landscape in Turkey. By conflating legitimate journalistic activity with criminal conduct, TRT and the supporting judicial mechanisms are not only failing Elif Akkuş but also failing the Turkish public, who rely on independent journalism for unbiased information. We demand the immediate release of Elif Akkuş and call for the dismissal of all charges against her. It is imperative that TRT halt its unjust pursuit and that safeguards be reinstated to protect journalists from institutional retaliation. Furthermore, we urge for a reevaluation of TRT’s operations to ensure its independence from governmental pressures, reaffirming its duty to provide impartial and factual reporting.
On May 2, 2024, veteran journalist Elif Akkuş was called to testify at the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse. This came about due to a probe launched by the Board of Inspections of her former employer, TRT (the state broadcaster). The investigation centers on Akkuş's spending while she was a war correspondent for TRT in Libya and Syria. After giving her statement, Akkuş was transferred to the criminal court of peace, where the Ankara 8th Criminal Judgeship of Peace ordered her arrest on suspicion of “tampering with evidence.”
Last year, Women Press Freedom documented how Akkuş was unjustly dismissed from the state-funded TRT after 25 years of service. In response, the journalist and her legal team filed an unfair dismissal suit against the broadcaster. Months later, in October 2023, she was arrested allegedly for posts made on an anonymous Twitter account criticizing nepotism within TRT. She was charged with leaking information, blackmail, and defamation. After spending nearly a month in detention she was released due to severe health concerns on November 15, 2023.
Akkuş, via her lawyer, has resoundingly denied all charges against her. The journalist, her legal team, and Women Press Freedom believe that the decision to arrest her is linked to the broadcaster’s concerted campaign against the journalist, possibly triggered by her decision to take legal action against her former employer.
The repeated arrests of Akkuş bring into question the extent of public broadcaster TRT's independence from government interference. Shifts in TRT's leadership in recent years have sparked concerns regarding its autonomy, as individuals affiliated with the government have assumed key positions.
Women Press Freedom denounces the detention of Elif Akkuş and demands an immediate end to TRT and the state’s persistent attempts to criminalize the journalist. We advocate for the reinstatement of TRT's independent framework and safeguards at the channel so the public broadcaster does not make retaliatory decisions against its former employees who speak out against their treatment in the workplace. Akkuş must be freed from detention, cleared of all charges, and allowed to continue her work without harassment.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.