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 account that she had removed the video from her channel, citing legal advice:
“Notice: As you know, I recently returned from Syria. Preparations are underway for a new period after Assad. As this new era approaches, Salih Müslim, who also stated to foreign media that he wanted to engage with Turkey, provided his perspective. I wanted to include his evaluation. However, after receiving warnings from legal experts that this interview could fall under the scope of praising criminal activity under the Turkish Penal Code, I decided to remove the video. I would like to avoid any misinterpretation.”
Following the publication, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated an ex officio investigation, alleging that the interview contained “statements praising a terrorist organization.” On December 14, Mengü was detained in the morning and released under judicial control in the evening, with a travel ban imposed.
Mengü’s lawyer Hüseyin Ersöz underlined that the journalist’s interview addressed current political developments in Syria, describing it as a matter of public interest and part of her journalistic duty. “Mengü conducted this interview entirely with journalistic intent, as part of her responsibility to inform the public. The video was removed from her channel 20 minutes after publication, following legal advice,” her lawyer explained. He added that at no time Mengü has acted upon directives to conduct this interview, unlike the prosecution claimed.
In her testimony, Mengü emphasized her professional integrity, and reiterated that in her 20-year career as a journalist, she has never acted under external directives and that her only aim was to provide the public with insight into a significant regional issue.
Mengü was released the same day but the imposition of a travel ban on the journalist is both arbitrary and disproportionate. It reflects a concerning pattern where judicial control measures, originally intended as exceptional remedies, are increasingly used to restrict and censor freedom of expression and press freedom.
Following the news of Mengü’s release under judicial control, a campaign emerged on social media calling for her imprisonment. Preliminary investigations suggested that most of the accounts promoting this campaign were bots or did not belong to real individuals, strongly resembling a coordinated effort to discredit Mengü.
Mengü’s lawyer announced plans to appeal the travel ban, with the expectation that the investigation will conclude with a decision not to prosecute.
The targeting of a journalist for conducting an interview highlights the precarious state of press freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey. As her lawyer noted, “A journalist’s primary duty is to serve the public’s right to information. They should not face intimidation or legal barriers for fulfilling this essential role.”
Journalism plays a vital role in informing the public, especially during times of significant regional and global developments. The duty to seek and share information is an essential service to society, ensuring that citizens are informed about matters of public interest. It is crucial that journalists be allowed to perform their vital role in society without fear of retribution.
IPI stands in full solidarity with its member Nevşin Mengü and all journalists fulfilling their essential duty to inform the public.
This statement was produced by IPI as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries, funded by the European Commission.
