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 [...]
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 [...]
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): [...]
By PELİN ÜNKER / “There are a few journalists who can speak to the truth, but no one wants to hear them.”
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 [...]
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 [...]
In the early hours of September 11, 2018, Austrian journalist Max Zirngast was arrested in Ankara by anti-terror police, who raided his flat and confiscated books. The 29-year-old Zirngast was jailed in Sincan prison – even though, to the best of his knowledge, he had never broken Turkish law. Days, weeks and months went by. [...]
International Press Institute (IPI) Executive Board Chair Markus Spillmann today paid a solidarity visit to former journalists and executives with the secular daily Cumhuriyet whose arbitrary convictions and jail sentences were upheld by an appeals court in Turkey last month. Spillmann and IPI Turkey Advocacy Coordinator Caroline Stockford met today in Istanbul with several defendants [...]
The members of the International Press Institute (IPI) Executive Board today published a letter expressing their “utmost support” for fellow Board member Kadri Gürsel, whose arbitrary conviction and jailing on unfounded terrorism charges was upheld last month by a court in Turkey. Gürsel was one of 14 executives and journalists with the secular newspaper Cumhuriyet [...]
The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and journalists for media freedom, welcomes the statement of the European Union Delegation to the Council of Europe in which the delegation expresses deep concern over press freedom and the rule of law in Turkey. The statement, issued by the Delegation in agreement [...]