The Press: Democracy’s Broken Wing
By MURAT SEVİNÇ / Press trials not as a purely judicial matter, but as part of an integral political problem
IPI calls for acquittals in Özgür Gündem guest editors’ trial
On April 15, 2019, the expected final hearing in a terrorism propaganda case against Turkish journalist and International Press Institute (IPI) member Erol Önderoğlu as well as Turkey’s Human Rights Foundation Chair Şebnem Korur Fincancı and journalist Ahmet Nesin will take place in Istanbul. The three defendants are charged in relation to their acting as [...]
26 free expression groups urge acquittal of Özgür Gündem guest editors in Turkey
Twenty-five international freedom of expression organizations today joined the International Press Institute (IPI) in calling for the acquittal on Monday of journalists Erol Önderoğlu and Ahmet Nesin and Human Rights Foundation chair Şebnem Korur Fincancı in Turkey. The three have been on trial accused of disseminating terrorist propaganda, among other charges, for over two-and-half years [...]
IPI condemns continued prosecution of Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yücel
The International Press Institute (IPI) urges Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yücel ahead of his next hearing on April 11 in Istanbul. A correspondent for the German newspaper WELT, Yücel was held in pretrial detention in Turkey for one year between 2017 and 2018. Although he was freed and permitted [...]
IPI demands charges against journalist Max Zirngast to be dropped
The International Press Institute (IPI) today renewed its call on Turkey to drop charges against Austrian journalist Max Zirngast, whose trial on baseless terrorism charges is set to begin on April 11. Zirngast, who has written for leftist magazines such as re:volt and Jacobin, was arrested on September 11, 2018, in Ankara by anti-terror police [...]
Fatih Polat: ‘We must stand up together to defend the profession’
In early March, IPI Turkey Advocacy Coordinator Caroline Stockford attended the trial in Istanbul of Fatih Polat, editor-in-chief of Evrensel, one of Turkey’s last remaining independent newspapers. Polat was acquitted of publishing a tapped telephone call – a small bit of good news in Turkey’s media crackdown. Evrensel is also one of two newspapers being [...]
IPI calls for charges against Turkey Paradise Papers reporter Pelin Ünker to be dropped
Turkey journalist Pelin Ünker faces trial again today over her reporting on the Paradise Papers investigation, conducted in cooperation with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). Ünker’s reporting, published in the independent Cumhuriyet newspaper in November 2017, revealed offshore accounts in Malta held by two key politicians of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP): [...]
An ironic tale of press freedom: Turkey
By PELİN ÜNKER / “There are a few journalists who can speak to the truth, but no one wants to hear them.”
EU Parliament highlights media freedom crackdown in Turkey accession vote
In a serious political blow to Turkey, the European Parliament voted on March 13 to recommend a formal suspension of the country’s accession to the EU. The vote, which is a non-binding recommendation, highlights the global concerns over the violation of human rights, media freedom and the rule of law in Turkey and underscores the [...]
Turkey urged to respect foreign media outlets’ independence
The International Press Institute (IPI) yesterday joined nearly 20 international freedom of expression and human rights groups in condemning Turkey for withdrawing the accreditation of two German journalists. The groups had called upon European institutions to urge Turkey to rescind the decision and restore the media credentials of ZDF Istanbul bureau chief Jörg Brase and [...]