Can Dündar, the former editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet was sentenced to over 27 years in prison on 23 December 2020. The charges against him are espionage and terrorism. Dündar, who is living in German exile since 2016, was tried in absentia. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined international human rights and press freedom groups to condemn the politically motivated verdict. A court in Istanbul reportedly sentenced Dundar to 18 years and nine months for “obtaining state secrets for the purpose of political or military espionage” and to eight years and nine months…

Leading international free expression and press freedom groups condemn politically motivated trial. On the eve of a trial scheduled to start on March 25, 2016, a coalition of leading international free expression and press freedom groups, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), condemns the criminal case targeting Cumhuriyet journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, and calls on authorities in Turkey to drop all charges against them. Dündar, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet, and Gül, the newspaper’s Ankara representative, face accusations of aiding a terrorist organisation, espionage and disclosure of classified documents for reports in Cumhuriyet claiming that Turkey’s intelligence agency secretly…

Leading international free expression and press freedom groups condemn government’s refusal to allow supporters to visit pair jailed for their reporting, call for their release A coalition of leading international free expression and press freedom groups condemns the Turkish government’s refusal to allow supporters to visit journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, who are behind bars for reports claiming that Turkey’s intelligence agency secretly armed Islamist rebel groups in Syria, and calls for their immediate release. Dündar, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet, and Gül, the newspaper’s Ankara bureau chief, are being held at the high-security Silivri Prison, west of Istanbul, reportedly awaiting…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) are today (27/11/2015) calling on the Turkish authorities to immediately release journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül and drop all charges against them. The two journalists working for the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet have been arrested yesterday in Istanbul following a judicial complain initiated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on charges of “procuring information as to state security”, “political and military espionage”, “declaring confidential information” and “doing propaganda on behalf of a terror organization”. All accusations are in fact based on the article and footage released by Cumhuriyet on May 29 with the headline “Here are the weapons Erdogan…

IFJ/EFJ  today condemned the decision to hold the trial of Can Dündar and Erdem Gül behind closed doors. All diplomats, journalists (including the IFJ and EFJ observers, Barry White and Mehmet Koksal), members of the public were evacuated from the court room. The ruling was made earlier today on the first day of the Dündar/Gül case charged with aiding a terrorist organisation, espionage and disclosure of classified documents, having reported on the supply of arms to Syrian fighters by the Turkish secret services. Gül and Dündar had previously been held for 92 days until the constitutional court set them free,…

CV Patrick Kamenka, former journalist with AFP for nearly 40 years. I used to cover the Soviet union and many war zone conflits  (former Yougoslavia, USSR, Iraq). In charge for my union SNJ-CGT on the international issues. Working on the Turkish campaign with TGS for EFJ. Member of FREG. Elected twice as Steering comittee member. Reserve member from 2013-2016. Candidate Statement I stand for solidarity – good quality journalism – better rights for journalists The EFJ is facing crucial challenges because of the increasing concentration of ownership in the media industry. Mainstream media are more and more linked to banks and…

On 7 July, exiled Turkish journalist Erk Acarer was attacked with “fists and knives” in the courtyard of his apartment building in Berlin. Acarer has lived in German exile since 2017 because of his critical reporting of the Turkish government. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined its German affiliates, the German Journalists Association (DJV) and the German Journalists Union (dju in ver.di), as well as its Turkish affiliates in strongly condemning this aggression. The attack took place on Wednesday night in the Berlin district of Neukölln, where three assailants beat him with their fists and knives in his yard. The journalists reported…

Turkish Cypriot journalist and publisher Sener Levent is the target of a harassment campaign by the Turkish authorities for his critical reporting on the Turkish government policies in Cyprus. The European Federations of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) join their affiliates, the Union of Cyprus Journalists and the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union of Press Workers Basin Sen in condemning the Turkish attempts to shut down press freedom. Journalist Sener Levent, the editor-in-chief of Afrika newspaper, has been targeted by official and unofficial means by the Turkish government and faces numerous court proceedings because of his reporting. The Turkish government…

Deutsche Welle – Belarus charges independent journalists with tax evasion (31.12.2020) Belsat.eu – Press Club Belarus case: Five persons detained (23.12.2020) France 24 – Turkey sentences exiled journalist Can Dundar to 27 years in prison (23.12.2020) France 24 – Turquie : le journaliste d’opposition en exil Can Dündar condamné à 27 ans de prison (23.12.2020) Voice of America – The Infodemic: Social Media Posts Spread Misinformation About COVID-19 Deaths (22.12.2020) Wyborcza – European Federation of Journalists: Media pluralism greatly endangered by Orlen’s Polska Press takeover (18.12.2020) Exit – EFJ: Albanian Journalists Should be “Essential Workers” During COVID-19 Pandemic (18.12.2020) Deutsche Welle…

Turkey’s press freedom crisis is worsening amid growing state capture of media, the lack of independence of regulatory institutions, and a new social media law designed to clamp down on the remaining spaces for free comment, a coalition of 11 international press freedom, journalism and human rights groups, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), warned following a four-day mission to the country last week. They also flagged the continued jailing and prosecution of journalists as well as ongoing concerns over the safety of journalists and judicial independence. The coalition held hybrid online/offline meetings last week in Istanbul and Ankara…

Undue pressures and harassment against journalists – often leading the limitation or even the suppression of the dissemination of public interest information and self-censorship – are still occurring among journalists in Europe, says a new book titled “A mission to inform: journalists at risk speak out” published today by the Council of Europe. This book is a unique exploration of the intimidation of journalists across Europe and it provides an invaluable resource to everyone concerned with the protection of journalists, including government authorities and media practitioners. Co-authored by Prof Marilyn Clark and William Horsley, the book complements the 2017 Study…

On 4 March 2016, five months before the coup attempt of July 2016, one of the biggest daily newspaper was seized by the Turkish authorities on charges of being affiliated with the Gülen movement. Created in 1986, the newspaper was initially a strong supporter of President Erdogan’s AKP until it became increasingly critical and subsequently the movement which it was affiliated with accused of infiltrating the institutions in order to create a “parallel state”. Many journalists and media workers were first quickly sacked without any compensation. Despite being fully managed by government-appointed trustees since March 2016, the newspaper was banned by…

Europe Online Magazine – Turkish police detain several journalists, Kurdish leaders (25.12.2016) Villamedia – België arresteerde Koerdische journalist op verzoek Turkije (23.12.2016) De Wereld Morgen – “Aanhouding Koerdisch journalist in België is gevaarlijk precedent” (22.12.2016) EUObserver – EU looks to trade treaty for better Turkey relations (22.12.2016) ARA News – Kurdish journalist arrested in European capital “on Turkey’s request” (21.12.2016) Transitions Online – Polish Government Hit by More Protests (19.12.2016) Balkan Insight – Croatian Journalist Blames Attack on Hateful Atmosphere (16.12.2016) Libertas – San Marino. Cause civili abnormi: tentativo di censura. Richiesta danni sino a 300mila euro (15.12.2016) Herald Scotland – Letters: We should not…

EUObserver – Poland passes media law, ignores EU again (31.12.2015) Sputnik – Poland on EU Collision Course Over New Media Reforms (31.12.2015) Prague Post – Pending Polish media law draws criticism (31.12.2015) AFP – Polish government takes control of public media with new law (30.12.2015) Time – A Media Bill in Poland Sparks Concern Over Press Freedom (30.12.2015) Deutsche Welle – Polish government moves to control public media (30.12.2015) Broadband TV News – EBU “outraged” as Poland amends law (30.12.2015) BBC – Polish media bill triggers concern for freedom (30.12.2015) Politico – 2015, an awful year for Europe’s free media (30.12.2015) L’Humanité – C’est la liberté de la presse qu’Erdogan…

The trial, which began on Monday 24 July, involved 17 Cumhuriyet journalists and executives wrongfully accused of secretly supporting the PKK – a militant Kurdish organisation and FETO, the group allegedly responsible for last year’s failed coup. The Cumhuriyet employees on trial are editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu, columnist Kadri Gürsel, CEO Akin Atalay, printing administrator Önder Çelik, attorney Bülent Utku, cartoonist Musa Kart, columnist Hakan Karasinir, attorney Mustafa Kemal Güngör, reporter Ahmet Şık, editor Turhan Günay, columnist Güray Öz, columnist Hikmet Aslan Çetinkaya, former editor-in-chief Can Dündar, columnist Aydin Engin, financial manager Bülent Yener, accounting manager Günseli Özaltay and columnist Orhan…

The EFJ is closely following the proceedings that started on Monday 24 July in Istanbul against 17 prominent journalists, editors and board members of Cumhuriyet newspaper, including Can Dündar, Kadri Gürsel, Murat Sabuncu and Ahmet Şık. EFJ president Mogens Blicher Bjerregård participated in the court case on 24-25 July and met several journalists and EFJ affiliates. Below a personal account of his impressions: Press freedom must be protected, and not put on trial as it has happened this week in Istanbul with the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet. 17 journalists and executives are accused in a completely political and fabricated way for…