Nearly 200 journalists in Turkey appeared in courtbetween April and June, according to the BİA Media Monitoring Report published by the Bianet news website.
The report documents a significant number of legal actions and threats and attacks against journalists and media outlets in the country.
During this three-month period Turkish courts and internet authorities imposed access restrictions on at least 2,970 news reports and related social media posts, citing “personal rights” as the basis for these decisions.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) also imposed fines amounting to over TL 29 million ($890,000) on various TV stations for their news and programs.
Moreover, six journalists were sentenced to a total of 18 years, three months in prison on charges of “aiding a terrorist organization” and “targeting individuals involved in counterterrorism efforts,” due to their alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
Additionally, 17 journalists and cartoonists faced criminal charges for allegedly “insulting the president.”
In the aftermath of May Day protests and local elections in eastern Turkey, at least 12 journalists were detained while attempting to cover the events.
Another 24 journalists appeared in court, facing multiple criminal cases for “insult,” “insulting a public official” or “defamation.”
The report also notes that six journalists were sued for over TL 2 million ($60,000) in damages.
Physical threats and attacks against media personnel remain a significant concern. At least 11 journalists and the office of one newspaper, İslahiye’nin Sesi Gazetesi, were attacked in the last three months.
Among these, six journalists, including four investigative reporters, received threats. Nine of these attacks occurred within the context of elections.
Rights groups routinely accuse Turkey of undermining media freedom by arresting journalists and shutting down critical media outlets, especially since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan survived a coup attempt in July 2016.
Turkey, which has been suffering from a poor record of freedom of the press for years, ranks 158th among 180 countries in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index published on May 3 on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day.
