DİSK Basın-İş, a labor union representing media workers in Turkey, has demanded an explanation from Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç for the continued pretrial detention of journalist Furkan Karabay, who has been held for 68 days without an indictment on charges stemming from his reporting.
According to the Bianet news website, the union, in an open letter addressed to Minister Tunç, questioned the prolonged detention, saying, “How much longer will Furkan Karabay remain in prison?” The union asserted that the charges against him relate directly to his journalistic work and cited Article 26 of the Turkish Constitution, which protects freedom of expression and the press.
“Despite the prosecutor’s request for permission to proceed having been approved on May 29, no indictment has yet been prepared,” the letter noted. “This continued delay is arbitrary.”
Karabay, a reporter known for his critical coverage of investigations targeting municipalities in İstanbul run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in March, faces allegations of “insulting the president” and “targeting officials involved in counterterrorism,” based on news reports.
In Turkey “insulting the president” is a criminal offense under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code. The law has been widely criticized by press freedom advocates because it is often used to prosecute journalists, politicians and even ordinary citizens for expressing views that might be critical or satirical of the president, even indirectly.
Karabay is also being investigated over his social media posts concerning probes of opposition mayors.
İmamoğlu and the CHP have been facing a crackdown in recent months, which culminated with the arrest of İmamoğlu on March 23. Critics say President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to sideline İmamoğlu in the next presidential race by ensuring his arrest on politically motivated charges.
The CHP and İmamoğlu accuse the İstanbul prosecutors who launched the investigations into them of acting on orders from the government. İmamoğlu is also being investigated due to his remarks targeting the chief public prosecutor in İstanbul on accusations of “targeting public officials involved in the fight against terrorism.”
Karabay is currently jailed at the notorious Silivri Prison, a facility long associated with the incarceration of government critics, opposition figures and dissidents.
Karabay’s brother and lawyer, Harun Karabay, also expressed frustration on X over the stalled legal process. He said the family had tried to meet with the prosecutor but learned the official was on leave until September 1. “We were told not to expect an indictment during this period,” he said. “With this delay, Furkan’s pretrial detention will stretch to at least 109 days.”
Harun Karabay criticized what he described as targeted inaction. “This is a deliberate use of detention as punishment before trial. The prosecution has shown hostility toward Furkan by intentionally delaying the indictment over six social media posts and one video,” he said.
Press freedom advocates have also raised alarms over Karabay’s detention. Erol Önderoğlu, Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), criticized the court’s decision to extend Karabay’s imprisonment on the grounds of “flight risk.” He described the move as a form of punishment before trial and said, “The law cannot be further trampled by political maneuvering.” Önderoğlu called for Karabay’s immediate release.
Karabay had previously been arrested in November for reporting on the detention of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer and the appointment of a trustee to the municipality. He was released 10 days later.
Turkey, which remains one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, according to press freedom organizations, dropped to 159th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in early May.
Turkish authorities frequently use broad counterterrorism laws and insult charges to prosecute members of the press.
