Unjust prosecutions and detentions have made independent journalism nearly impossible in Turkey, representatives of seven press organizations said on Monday, as they called for the release of all jailed journalists.
The representatives made the call at a press conference in İstanbul held to mark April 6, the Day of Murdered Journalists, according to the BirGün daily.
They called for an end to investigations and prosecutions targeting journalists over their professional activities and demanded the repeal of Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalizes “publicly disseminating misleading information” and carries prison sentences of up to three years.
The provision, widely known as the “disinformation law,” was adopted in October 2022 and has drawn widespread criticism from rights groups and the opposition for further restricting freedom of expression in Turkey.
The group said the lack of judicial independence in Turkey made it impossible to ensure fair rulings under such a provision, adding that restrictions on freedom of the press and freedom of expression undermine the foundations of a democratic society.
They also called for the release of 15 jailed journalists, including İsmail Arı, Merdan Yanardağ and Alican Uludağ. Arı was arrested on disinformation charges over his news reports and social media posts. Yanardağ was taken into custody as part of an investigation into the opposition-run İstanbul Municipality, and on accusations of espionage. Uludağ was arrested on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his social media posts.
Mustafa Köz, vice president of the Writers Union of Turkey (TYS), said Turkey had turned into a “semi-open prison” for journalists.
Hakkı Zariç, vice president of the PEN Writers Association, said journalists were no longer being killed as in the past but were increasingly being silenced through imprisonment, with sentences used as a form of retaliation.
The Turkish Journalists’ Association (TGC), the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), the Turkish Publishers Association (TÜRKYAYBİR), TYS, the PEN Turkey Center, the DİSK Basın-İş press workers union and the Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) attended the press conference.
The Day of Murdered Journalists has been observed since 1996 to bring attention to violence and pressure against journalists, marking the killing of journalist Hasan Fehmi Efendi in İstanbul on April 6, 1909. A total of 67 journalists have been killed since then, according to press organizations.
Journalists in Turkey operate in an increasingly restrictive environment, particularly those reporting on politically sensitive issues or criticizing the government or its political allies. They are frequently targeted through prosecutions under laws criminalizing “insulting public officials,” “disinformation” and “disseminating terrorist propaganda.”
According to Expression Interrupted, a press freedom monitoring group, 26 journalists are currently behind bars in Turkey. The country’s deteriorating media landscape was also highlighted in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which ranked Turkey 159th out of 180 nations.
