İbrahim Haskoloğlu, a 28-year-old Turkish journalist known for his independent reporting, has announced his decision to leave Turkey indefinitely due to mounting death threats.
Haskoloğlu said that he has faced an increasing number of death threats in the last two months related to his reporting, forcing him to leave his home and live in different cities in Turkey. He expressed disappointment over the lack of support from journalist colleagues and officials during this very difficult period.
“I do not want to be killed in a corner and be talked about for just a week,” he said. “I have never sought financial support and have always striven for the well-being of every citizen, regardless of their political affiliation; however, the risks I’ve taken have led to defamation and living like a fugitive.”
Haskoloğlu gained prominence in April 2022 after reporting that hackers had accessed personal data from government websites, including personal information of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and then-head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Hakan Fidan. Following these revelations, he was detained on charges of “illegally obtaining and spreading personal information” and placed in pretrial detention.
In December 2022, Turkish prosecutors sought a 12-year prison sentence for Haskoloğlu for his reporting on the data breach. Despite these legal challenges, he continued his journalistic endeavors, focusing on issues affecting children, women and citizens across the political spectrum.
Haskoloğlu has decided to relocate abroad for an extended period. He emphasized that he has not been convicted by any Turkish court and has been acquitted in all cases, including those involving President Erdoğan.
Over the course of his career, Haskoloğlu has covered several politically sensitive topics, including issues of government transparency, human rights violations and advocacy for vulnerable groups, such as women and children. His reporting on the alleged data breach involving high-level officials remains one of the most well-known examples of his work, bringing both widespread attention and significant legal trouble.
Turkey has a troubling history of violence against journalists, with at least nine journalists killed since 2000. Notable among them is Hrant Dink, a Turkish-Armenian journalist and editor-in-chief of the Agos weekly who was assassinated in İstanbul on January 19, 2007. Dink was a prominent advocate for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and had faced multiple prosecutions and death threats prior to his murder.
Journalists in Turkey frequently face death threats. For instance, Murat Ağırel, an investigative journalist, has been subjected to relentless death threats and harassment targeting both him and his family. Despite calls from international organizations for Turkish authorities to protect Ağırel and uphold press freedom, such threats persist.
These are not isolated incidents. This environment of intimidation and violence has compelled many journalists to flee Turkey. According to a 2024 report by the United Nations, thousands of journalists worldwide have gone into exile to escape political repression and threats, with Turkey being a significant contributor to this trend.
