European Federation of Journalists

Turkey : Set Journalism Free

The European Instrument for Democracy and Human RightsThe Set Journalism Free in Turkey campaign is part of the Campaign to decriminalise Turkish Journalism , to free speech and protect work place rights project (2014-2016) which receives the financial support of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Program managed by the European Commission. All responsibilities regarding the contents and the actions belong to the authors only and should not be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union.

> EU Progress Reports on Turkey 20152014201320122011
> OSCE reports on Turkey
Regular Report to the Permanent Council by Dunja Mijatović, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, for the period from 19 June 2014 through 26 November 2014
OSCE FOM table on imprisoned journalists in Turkey – 10 March 2014
> CoE reports on Turkey
The rule of law on the Internet and in the wider digital world. Issue Paper published by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
3rd quarterly activity report 2014 by Nils Muižnieks
> Bia Media Monitoring Reports :
Media’s 3 Years: A Summary With Graphics
October-December 2014
April-June 2014
> PEN International : Free expression under shadow
> IFJ reports : 2 journalists killed in Turkey in 2014
> CPJ reports : 40 imprisoned journalists in Turkey (2013) / 20 journalists killed in Turkey since 1992
> RSF Press Freedom Index 2014 : Turkey is ranked 149 out of 180 countries (between Mexico and DRCongo)
> Human Rights Watch : Turkey: Security Bill Undermines Rights
> Freedom House / Freedom of the Press 2014 : “The region’s largest numerical change occurred in Turkey, which declined from 56 to 62 points and moved from Partly Free to Not Free.”
> Shorenstein Center (Harvard) / Corruption and Self-Censorship in
Turkish Journalism

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Picture credit: Genya Savilov / AFP.

Aseev is free but 122 journalists remain in prison in Europe

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) welcomes the release of Ukrainian journalists Stanislav Aseev and Oleh Halaziuk who suffered a long illegal custody in Donetsk. On Sunday, at a checkpoint near Gorlovka, pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine have concluded a long-awaited prisoner exchange of 200 prisoners, including the two journalists who contributed to the Ukrainian service of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. While welcoming these releases, the EFJ recalls that 122 journalists and media actors remain in prison in Europe: 108 in Turkey; 7 in Russia; 6 in Azerbaijan; 1 in the United Kingdom (Julian Assange, founder and publisher of WikiLeaks,…

Mission to Turkey: press freedom remains in crisis

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined seven other organisations on a joint mission to Turkey, led by the International Press Institute (IPI). Despite some glimmers of hope, press freedom in the country remains in crisis. International press freedom groups and professional organisations reported today that press freedom and the rule of law in Turkey remain in crisis despite grounds for very cautious optimism, such as yesterday’s ruling releasing several former Cumhuriyet journalists. Over three days this week, the international press freedom delegation held meetings with journalists, civil society, the judiciary and the authorities to assess planned reforms and the…

IPI Joint press freedom mission to Turkey

The International Press Institute (IPI) is organizing a joint mission to Turkey of international organizations scheduled to be held between 11-13 September visiting both İstanbul and Ankara. This international mission will be organized by IPI with the support of partner organizations joining the mission. Representatives of the following international press freedom and freedom of expression organizations have been invited: IPI, RSF, A19, CPJ, Norwegian PEN, ECPMF, European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), PEN International, IFEX, Free Press Unlimited, Index on Censorship. The EFJ will be represented by Mustafa Kuleli (TGS), newly-elected member of the EFJ Steering Committee.

Turkish court imposes access block on news portals

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) calls on Turkish authorities to cancel the outrageous decision of Ankara 3rd Peace Judge to block access to 136 websites and social media accounts. Ankara 3rd Peace Judge Hasan Demirtas decided on 16 July to block access to 136 internet resources, including bianet and Gazete Fersude news portals, on the basis of “national security” (article 8/A of İnternet Law). The ban targets 15 websites and dozens of social media accounts (on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest). The court’s unjustified ruling prevents access to at least 200,000 news stories in bianet, which has been broadcasting…

Turkish think-tank report escalates harassment of journalists

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and 20 other human rights and freedom of expression organisations condemn a Turkish pro-government think-tank’s report that accuses leading international media of being biased against the government and singles out their correspondents for attack. The organisations regard the report as a dangerous escalation in the harassment of journalists. As mentioned in our prior joint EFJ-IFJ statement the report by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), a think-tank created by İbrahim Kalın, who is nowadays an adviser to President Erdoğan,  is billed as an academic study of the news coverage of the…