Turkish authorities detained 20 journalists and jailed six pending trial in October, according to a monthly report by the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG).
Prosecutors investigated eight journalists, while criminal cases were filed against three, according to the report. Two journalists were put under house arrest. Forty-five journalists were on trial in 24 ongoing cases during the month.
The DFG also documented one incident of ill-treatment and two instances in which reporters were prevented from covering events. The association said 33 journalists were behind bars as of November 3, including those awaiting trial and others serving prison sentences.
The report cited legal action against journalists İsmail Saymaz, Murat Ağırel, Şaban Sevinç and Mustafa Balcı over their reporting and commentary about an investment fund scandal. Sevinç and Balcı were jailed pending trial, while Saymaz and Ağırel were put under house arrest. Ağırel was later jailed pending trial in a separate money laundering investigation.
The scandal emerged after investment funds failed to meet investors’ withdrawal requests amid allegations of stock-market manipulation. On September 17, Turkish regulators ordered the liquidation of 131 funds affecting more than 455,000 investors. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said 141 individuals and 73 companies made a combined 187.6 billion lira (about $3.8 billion) in allegedly illicit profits, while the investigation later extended to financial regulators.
Other journalists jailed pending trial included BirGün reporter İsmail Arı, following a complaint by Ebubekir Şahin, the former head of Turkey’s broadcasting regulator (RTÜK). Local news website owner Hasan Güraksu was also jailed pending trial over a report alleging that expired meat was being served at a public hospital.
The report also cited prison sentences imposed on journalists Öznur Değer and Osman Akın.
The DFG also reported that police raided the İstanbul headquarters of the Halk TV opposition broadcaster on October 14. A state-appointed trustee subsequently took control of the station and its live broadcasts were halted. The station’s social media accounts were made inaccessible in Turkey.
Authorities blocked access to 22 news reports, 231 pieces of social media content and four websites during October, according to the DFG.
RTÜK fined Sözcü TV and Koza TV on October 16 over their coverage of an investment fund investigation. On October 28 it fined both stations again — Sözcü TV for its coverage of journalist Murat Ağırel’s arrest and Koza TV for its reporting on the fund investigation.
The association reported that at least 162 journalists lost their jobs in October, citing layoffs at Manşetiz, Yeni Şafak, GZT, TVNET and Sözcü.
The association called for an end to criminal proceedings over journalistic activities, the release of imprisoned journalists and the lifting of restrictions on news websites and social media accounts.
Turkey was ranked 163rd out of 180 nations in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
