IPI condemns 5-day broadcast bans on Turkey’s Halk TV, TELE1

The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, today condemned the decision taken by Turkey’s Radio and Television High Council (RTÜK) to suspend the critical television broadcasters TELE 1 and Halk TV for five days. On June 26, RTÜK President Ebubekir Şahin announced that an [...]

Freedom Dialogues Turkey: IPI launches new podcast series

Also available on: The International Press Institute (IPI) is proud to launch the new podcast series IPI Freedom Dialogues: Turkey, a platform for timely, vital conversations on press freedom, freedom of expression and the future of quality journalism. You’ll get the inside story from some of Turkey’s [...]

IPI condemns record ad ban on Turkey’s Evrensel newspaper

The International Press Institute (IPI) today strongly condemned the 45-day ban on independent newspaper Evrensel by the Turkish Public Advertising Agency (BİK) over a column published on May 5, 2020. This is a record length for a public ad ban on a newspaper so far in Turkey. Evrensel, an independent newspaper with a focus on [...]

IPI joins 38 civil society organisations deplore decision to block Özgürüz

On June 19, 2020, International Press Institute (IPI) and 38 civil society organisations deplore the decision by a Turkish court to ban access to Germany-based online radio station Özgürüz (‘We Are Free’), which is headed by Can Dündar. We call on the Turkish authorities to reverse the decision, to stop the harassment of Dündar and [...]

PANEL (June 21): IPI, PEN Int and MLSA holds joint panels on journalist Nedim Türfent

On June 21, IPI, MLSA and PEN International will be holding online panel sessions in Turkish and English to highlight Nedim Türfent's continued imprisonment. Learn more about Nedim's case and how you can use your voice to help free him from prison. On June 15, 45 international and local press freedom organizations published a joint [...]

1500 Days Behind Bars: Global campaign for Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent

Today, the International Press Institute (IPI), PEN International, Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) and 43 undersigned organizations mark the 1,500th day of Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent’s imprisonment with a renewed call for his immediate and unconditional release. Türfent, who was predominantly reporting on the Kurdish issues, was detained on May 12, 2016, shortly after [...]

Turkey: IPI demands release of two journalists detained for “military espionage”

The International Press Institute (IPI) today condemned the arrests in Turkey of two journalists working for the critical news outlets Odatv and TELE1 in Ankara and demanded their immediate release. On June 8, the two journalists, Müyesser Yıldız, Odatv news editor in Ankara bureau, and İsmail Dükel, Ankara correspondent of TELE1, were taken into custody [...]

Intl groups call for greater transparency from Turkey’s public ad agency

Today, the International Press Institute (IPI) and 19 other international press freedom and freedom of expression groups sent a joint public letter to the General Director of Turkey's Public Advertising Agency, which is responsible for the fair distribution of public ads in national and local newspapers. Public ads provide considerable ad revenue for newspapers and are therefore [...]

Turkey’s presidential communications director targets journalists in court

The countless criminal complaints and lawsuits against Turkish journalists stand as a testament to the absurdity of the press freedom situation in the country. Since its establishment in July 2018, the Presidential Communications Directorate has stood out as one of the most determined pursuers of journalism in court, targeting reports critical of President Erdoğan and [...]

IPI renews call on Turkey to release journalists amid pandemic

The International Press Institute (IPI) today reiterated its call on Turkish authorities to release journalists from prison who were excluded from the most recent parole law passed in April. The parole law enabled the immediate release of up to 90,000 inmates in order to relieve overcrowded prisons during the pandemic. Journalists and other political prisoners [...]