The undersigned media freedom, human rights and journalists’ groups call on the new European Commission and the new European Parliament to strengthen their commitment to protecting journalists’ rights and freedom of expression in their relations with Turkey. Relations between the European Union and Turkey have been at an impasse for several years with Turkey occupying the status of an applicant country in a process that has long since stalled. The EU institutions need to find a way to reinvigorate relations and ensure that the protection of human rights is front and centre of those relations. Over the past two decades, Turkey’s…

On 25 April, the Ankara public prosecutor’s office requested the conviction of 11 journalists from the Mesopotamya News Agency (MA) for alleged ‘membership in a terrorist organisation’. The case comes just as the Journalists’ Association of Turkey (GCD) is publishing its annual report on press freedom in Turkey. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), present in Ankara, joins its Turkish affiliates GCD, TGS and DISK Basin-Is in denouncing the intensification of pressure on journalists by the Turkish government. The EFJ condemns this climate of terror aimed at imposing widespread self-censorship. The 2023 report published by GCD, as part of the European ‘Media…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) join their Turkish affiliate DİSK Basın-İş in demanding the immediate release of journalist Diren Keser, who has just been jailed for posting news on social networks in 2015. On 27 February, police officers arrested Diren Keser, a reporter for the Pir News Agency (PİRHA), at his home after the Court of Cassation upheld his prison sentence. Keser was transferred to Tarsus Prison. The journalist was charged in 2017 with ‘propaganda for an illegal organisation’ on account of having shared five news articles on social media back in…

Furkan Karabay, editor for the independent news website Gerçek Gündem (“The Real Agenda”),  was taken into custody by the Istanbul police on 28 December 2023, following an article on the trial of judiciary members. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) demand his immediate release and urge the authorities to withdraw all charges against him.  Karabay was taken to the Çağlayan Courthouse (Istanbul), by police officers who arrested him in the early hours of 28 December. After spending the night at the police station, the editor was released pending trial.  His detention follows a story published on 27 December,…

Update (06/11/23): Journalist Tolga Şardan has been released on 6 November upon an objection petition filed by his lawyers. The EFJ welcomes his release but considers the travel ban imposed on him as wholly unwarranted. ————————– The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression, human rights and journalists’ organizations in strongly condemning the arrest of seasoned journalist Tolga Şardan in Ankara. On the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI), the undersigned groups demand that instead of punishing journalists for informing the public, Turkey’s judiciary should hold accountable…

One month has passed since 24 journalists from the Russian news agency Sputnik in Istanbul and Ankara were dismissed. As members of the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), they were ready to go on strike to demand better working conditions, after negotiations on a new collective agreement failed. The strike, which has been going on for 30 days, continues. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) reiterate their solidarity with the Turkish journalists and urge Sputnik to respect labour law and provide their employees with decent working conditions. Since the beginning of the strike on 17 August 2023, Sputnik…

The Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court handed travel bans to Faruk Eren, President of the DİSK Basın-İş Union, and editor of the Gerçek Gündem news portal Furkan Karabay on 7 September 2023. The European and International Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) join their affiliate the Turkish Press and Printing Employees Union (DİSK BASIN-İŞ) in condemning these actions against journalists that infringe their rights and damage media freedom. Constitutional Court member Judge İrfan Fidan filed a complaint against the two journalists regarding an article published in the Gerçek Gündem news portal. The article reflected on the many controversies surrounding the 2021 appointment of Fidan…

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) and the undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organisations strongly condemn the latest incident of judicial harassment against journalist Barış Pehlivan and reiterate calls to the Turkish authorities to respect media freedom. On August 2, journalist Barış Pehlivan was informed via an SMS from the Ministry of Justice that he was expected to turn himself over to the Marmara Low Security Correctional Institution (formerly Silivri) between August 1-15, 2023. Pehlivan has already been incarcerated four times due to his journalism, two of those being one day behind bars…

The Turkish offices of the Russian news agency Sputnik, in Istanbul and Ankara, have just dismissed 24 unionized journalists who had decided to strike to obtain better working conditions. The strike was declared following the failure of negotiations on a new collective labor agreement, announced on Monday the Trade Union of Journalists of Turkey, TGS, affiliated to the European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ). “Sputnik is firing our members instead of respecting their trade union rights and responding to their legitimate demands,” said TGS President Gökhan Durmuş. “The agency even went so far as to dismiss a union delegate,…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights organisations strongly condemn the detention of T24 editor Sibel Yükler, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Delal Akyüz and Fırat Can Arslan, bianet editor Evrim Kepenek and freelance journalist Evrim Deniz in Turkey on July 25. While four of these journalists were conditionally released, Arslan was arrested later the same day. We demand his immediate release. The five journalists were detained the day after July 24, which is marked in Turkey as “Day of Struggle for Press Freedom”, during several house raids. Local media outlets reported that…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the findings by the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), which points to the challenges media professionals in the country have to face due to a troubling landscape of political pressure, censorship, mobbing and inadequate working conditions. The study of the titled “Journalism in Turkey: Perception and Profile”, provides insights into the current state of the profession. Political Pressure and Financial Struggles Over 50 per cent of the surveyed journalists identified political pressure as the major obstacle hindering their journalistic practice. Financial sustainability, working conditions, and employer influence were also highlighted as significant challenges.…

Turkish journalists, and citizens are facing increased restrictions when applying for visas to the 27 Schengen countries, according to the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) Turkish citizens, including journalists, have recently been encountering various visa-related issues, such as heightened scrutiny of applications and extensive waiting periods when only trying to secure an appointment. The rate of rejected visa applications in 2023 has surged from 15% in 2022 to a staggering 50% at present. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) raises serious concerns over the alleged systematic obstruction of Turkish journalists’ visa applications by the EU member states. It is alarming…

The undersigned organisations call on the incoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to place media freedom and human rights front and centre of relations with the newly re-elected Government of Turkey. The May elections, which saw a parliamentary majority for the AKP and its allies and the re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as President, took place against a backdrop of a media landscape dominated by pro-government outlets, the smothering of independent voices and the repression of critical journalism. Over the past two decades, Turkey’s government has captured over 90% of the media landscape, including direct control…

Journalist Merdan Yanardağ, editor-in-chief of Turkish broadcaster TELE1, was arrested on 27 June following a judicial investigation into his televised remarks about imprisoned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands his immediate release. Yanardağ was charged with “praising crime and the criminal” as well as “propaganda for a terrorist organisation”, following his comments about Öcalan during a television programme broadcast on TELE1 on 20 June. During his speech, Yanardağ said, “Öcalan is Turkey’s longest serving political prisoner. If normal execution laws were applicable, he should in fact be released… The isolation imposed on…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights organizations in strongly condemning the appalling attack on journalist Sinan Aygül that took place in Tatvan, a city in eastern Turkey, on June 17. Two people were arrested the following day and charged with ‘intentional injury with a weapon’. While we welcome the swift arrests, we call upon the authorities to thoroughly investigate this crime and ensure that all those responsible, including others who may have been behind the attack, are held fully accountable. On June 17, Aygül, who is also the chairperson…

Journalists at Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Istanbul entered their 7th day of strike action to demand higher salaries in the face of soaring prices. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) expresses support for striking journalists and urges the AFP to provide decent wages to its employees. A fair wage is not a privilege, but a right. The Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) went on strike on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, after failing to reach an agreement with the management of the global news agency. Journalists’ demands include an increase in salaries to compensate for inflation as well…