As press freedom and human rights organizations, we strongly condemn the detention of four journalists on February 18, 2025, and demand their immediate release. On the morning of February 18, during an operation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office targeting the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), several artists and politicians were taken into custody [...]
The International Press Institute (IPI), together with undersigned press freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organizations, and media outlets, expresses serious concern over the recent escalation of press freedom violations in Turkey, marking a troubling start to the new year. The frequent use of arbitrary arrests, detentions, judicial control measures, and convictions poses [...]
The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the Turkish authorities' media coverage restrictions following the devastating hotel fire in Bolu, which erupted in the early morning hours of January 20, 2025, claiming at least 79 lives. The next day, Turkey's broadcast regulator issued comprehensive directives that significantly limited the ability of the media to cover [...]
The International Press Institute (IPI) today announced Scott Griffen as its new executive director. Griffen has been the organization’s interim director since June 2024. Griffen’s appointment comes at an increasingly perilous time for press freedom and independent journalism worldwide, IPI Executive Board Chair Márton Gergely said. “As we start the year 2025, IPI’s work has [...]
On December 13, prominent independent journalist and IPI Turkey National Committee member Nevşin Mengü published an interview on her YouTube channel with Salih Müslim, an executive of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Syrian Kurdish group that Turkey designates as a “terrorist organization.” Shortly after the interview was uploaded, Mengü announced on her social media [...]
Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission CC: Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission CC: Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement CC: Thomas Ossowski, EU Ambassador to Türkiye Open Letter to the European Commission Re: Urgent Need for EU Action to [...]
Organized by the IPI Turkey National Committee and hosted by Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul on December 11, 2024, IPI’s fourth annual Turkey Media Symposium entitled "New Career Pathways in Journalism: Technology's Role in Shaping the Future" will bring together international and local experts, leading figures in alternative media, new generation journalists, and journalism students. Join [...]
International Press Institute (IPI), Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) and the undersigned press freedom and human rights organizations are deeply concerned about the detention of seven journalists in Turkey on November 26, 2024. We urgently call for their immediate release. Journalists Roza Metina (Jinnews Kurdish editor and president of the Mesopotamian Women Journalists Association), Ahmet [...]
Media freedom groups today called on Turkey’s government to fully withdraw the amendments to the espionage act currently before parliament. The proposed bill would enable judges to increase sentences by up to seven years for any conviction, if the crime is ruled to have been committed against ‘the political interests of the state’ when acting [...]
10Haber reporter Furkan Karabay was detained on November 8, 2024, following his reporting and social media posts regarding the investigation into Ahmet Özer, mayor of Istanbul's Esenyurt district, who was arrested and replaced by a trustee on October 30, 2024. Karabay faces charges of "targeting a public official," "insulting a public official," and "publicly [...]