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So far Renan Akyavas has created 225 blog entries.

Media freedom and journalists groups call on the EU to prioritise media freedom reforms and human rights in relations with Turkey following the May elections

The undersigned organisations call on the incoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union to place media freedom and human rights front and centre of relations with the newly re-elected Government of Turkey.  The May elections, which saw a parliamentary majority for the AKP and its allies and the re-election of Recep Tayyip [...]

Turkey: Prominent journalist arrested on terrorism charges

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, journalists, and media executives for press freedom, condemns the arrest of TELE1 TV Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ in Istanbul. Yanardağ was detained after criticizing the detention conditions of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan during a news programme. We call on the Turkish authorities to stop punishing journalists [...]

Turkey: International groups condemn attack against journalist Sinan Aygül

The undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression and human rights organizations strongly condemn the appalling attack on journalist Sinan Aygül that took place in Tatvan, a city in eastern Turkey, on June 17. Two people were arrested the following day charged with ‘intentional injury with a weapon’.  While we welcome the swift arrests, we call [...]

Turkey Trial Blog: JINNEWS News Director released in her first hearing after one year in pre-trial detention

The International Press Institute (IPI) traveled to Diyarbakır, Turkey, to monitor the first hearing of the case in which JINNEWS News Agency News Director Safiye Alağaş, who is charged with "membership in a terrorist organization" and faces a prison sentence of 7.5 years to 15 years. Alağaş was arrested in Diyarbakır on June 16, 2022 [...]

Turkey: Broadcast regulator fines several news channels over critical coverage of elections

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, journalists, and media executives for press freedom, condemns the latest decision by Turkey’s broadcast regulator to fine several broadcasters over their critical election coverage. Journalists and broadcasters must be allowed to do their jobs of informing the public over critical issues and holding the government [...]

Turkey: Journalists attacked and hindered on presidential election day

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, journalists and media executives for press freedom, condemns the instances of violence and obstruction targeting journalists during the second round of presidential elections in Turkey on May 28, 2023. The attacks and hindrances against journalists are a blatant violation of press freedom and undermine the [...]

IPI General Assembly Resolution: Turkey must respect press freedom as essential element of democracy

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 72nd annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on May 25, 2023 in Vienna, Austria, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution calling on the eventual winner of Turkey’s presidential election to end the country’s crackdown on independent journalism and respect press freedom as [...]

Turkey Trial Blog: Ankara court releases 11 journalists arrested in mass raids

On May 16, 2023, a representative of the International Press Institute (IPI) attended and monitored the trial of 11 journalists charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” as part of IPI’s Turkey trial monitoring programme. The hearing took place at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court with the prosecution seeking prison sentences of up to [...]

Turkey Trial Blog: Journalists’ case launched upon the complaint of President Erdoğan’s former lawyer combined with three other cases

The International Press Institute (IPI) monitored the sixth hearing in the trial of journalists Can Bursalı, Barış Terkoğlu, Barış Pehlivan and Editor-in-Chief of Independent Turkish, Nevzat Çiçek. They are charged with “insult” and “calumny” following a complaint from President Erdoğan’s former lawyer, Mustafa Doğan İnal. The hearing was held on May 11, 2023 at the [...]

IPI Webinar Recap (April 26): Election Reporting

Turkey heads towards landmark presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14. To shed light on journalism during election times, the International Press Institute (IPI) Turkey National Committee, in partnership with Columbia Global Centers | Istanbul, hosted a webinar as part of a series of discussions addressing challenges of journalism amid political, social, and technological developments in the [...]