Journalists and academics bear the brunt of the massive crackdown on freedom of expression in Turkey. Scores of them are currently subject to criminal investigations or behind bars. This website is dedicated to tracking the legal process against them.
On Aug. 16, four individuals including former Zaman columnist Ali Ünal were arrested in the investigation into the July 15 coup attempt and at least 23 journalists were detained in operations outside the coup probe.
On the 27th day of Turkey’s of State of Emergency declaration, police operations mainly targeted the Kurdish press. The Özgür Gündem newspaper was shut down temporarily on the grounds that it spreads “propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization.”
Shortly after the announcement of the newspaper’s closure by authorities, police raided its office in İstanbul’s Beyoğlu district, sealing off the premises.
During the police raid, the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Zana Kaya, journalists Günay Aksoy, Kemal Bozkurt, Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Önder Elaldı, Ender Önder, Sinan Balık, Fırat Yeşilçınar, İnan Kızılkaya, Özgür Paksoy (DİHA news agency) , Zeki Erden, Elif Aydoğmuş, Bilir Kaya, Ersin Çaksu, Mesut Kaynar (DİHA), Sevdiye Gürbüz, Amine Demirkıran, Baryram Balcı, Burcu Özkaya, Yılmaz Bozkurt (member of the press office of the Istanbu Medical Chamber), Gülfem Karataş (İMC), Gökhan Çetin (İMC) and Hüseyin Gündüz (Doğu Publishing House) were detained.
According to a tweet by an account that belongs to Özgür Gündem, another person, whose name was not included in the list of those detained, was also taken into custody during the closure operation.
As part of the operations targeting Özgür Gündem, the homes of the newspaper’s former Editor-in-Chief Eren Keskin, columnist Filiz Koçali and the owner of the newspaper’s rights Kemal Sancılı were also raided. The three journalists couldn’t be found in the locations searched.
Distributors of Özgür Gündem were also targeted by the operations. On July 16, Hakan Ergün, an Adana based distributor for the newspaper was arrested and the home of the newspaper’s Van distributor Yılmaz Kumli was raided by police.
Developments in coup probe
Ali Ünal, a former Zaman columnist, his brother Mustafa Ünal as well as two individuals named Günay Aydın and Ahmet Gökalp – all of whom were detained on Aug. 15 – were put under arrest on Aug. 16 as part of the investigation into the attempted coup of July 15. Ünal and the others are facing charges of “membership in an armed terrorist organization,” “aiding a terrorist organization,” and “spreading propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization.”
In a related development, a court rejected an objection filed against the July 31 arrest ruling for former Zaman columnists Şahin Alpay, Lale Kemal, Ali Bulaç and Nuriye Akman on the grounds that “no new evidence has emerged” in the investigation to secure their release.
On Aug. 15, Hürriyet reporter Arda Akın was arrested in the coup investigation. According to a report by Hürriyet, Akın was detained while checking in with a police station under an earlier court ruling that had released him on probation. Akın, who was taken to testify to prosecutors, was asked questions about his Twitter messages and a message he had written to a police chief who conducted the investigation into match-rigging allegations in Turkish soccer in 2011. Akın, who was referred to a court by prosecutors, was arrested on charges of “knowingly aiding a criminal organization.”
Earlier, there had been reports of at least one arrest and one deportation involving foreign journalists.
In the latest development regarding foreign journalists in State of Emergency, Spanish journalist and student Beatriz Yubero, deported from the country as part of the coup probe, announced that she would challenge a decision by Ankara University to terminate her enrollment in court.
On Aug. 14, a poet named Rıfat Sayar was detained over suspected links with Fethullah Gülen.
Censorship, Twitter banning accounts and blocked websites
In late July, hundreds of newspapers, magazines, publishing houses and radio stations were shut down as per a decree having the force of law. As part of the decree, Ankara Gölbaşı Criminal Judicature of Peace had, on July 28, blocked access to 102 websites.
Further reports of censorship and gag orders have continued to emerge. On Aug. 14, the Izmir 7th Criminal Judicature of Peace issued a ban on publishing testimony from suspects or secret witnesses in the coup investigation. The ban on publishing information regarding suspect and witness testimony also applies to social media posts.
In another recent development, Özgür Gündem Newspaper’s official Twitter account, @ozgurgundemweb1 has been withheld in Turkey by Twitter. The micro-blogging website has failed to explain why it has chosen to yield to pressure from Turkish government in banning journalist and newspaper accounts.
Detentions outside coup probe
State of Emergency rules seem to increasingly and extensively affect critical journalists unrelated to the coup investigation; particularly members of the Kurdish media. In addition to the 23 detentions during the police operation targeting Özgür Gündem’s staff on Aug. 16, several other Kurdish journalists were taken into custody in the past few days:
On Aug. 13, Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporters Metin Bekiroğlu and Engin Eren were detained by police.
On Aug. 14, Fatma Edemen, a reporter for the Kurdish news agency ETHA, was detained in the capital. Edemen, who has not been allowed to see her lawyer, has been on a hunger strike since Aug. 14.
Another detainee, Hünkar Genç, a member of Turkey’s Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF) who was taken into custody on Aug. 14, has also been reported to be on a hunger strike.
Last known legal status of journalists for whom detention warrants have been issued as part of post-coup probe
Abdullah Abdulkadiroğlu, Samanyolu TV, Left the country according to AA |
Abdullah Katırcıoğlu, In custody |
Abdullah Kılıç, Meydan Gazetesi columnist, Under arrest |
Abdullah Özyurt, local Adana journalist, Under arrest |
Adil Gülçek, Former Cihan Medya Director |
Ahmet Dönmez, Former Zaman reporter, Left the country according to AA |
Ahmet Memiş, Haberdar, In custody |
Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Vice President of Cihan Media Executive Board, Under arrest |
Ahmet Turan Alkan, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Ahmet Yavaş, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest |
Alaattin Güner, Former Cihan Medya Director, Under arrest |
Ali Akbulut, owner of Zaman’s rights, formerly |
Ali Akkuş, Former Zaman General Publications Editor, Under arrest |
Ali Bulaç ,Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Ali Ünal, Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Arda Akın, Hürriyet reporter, Released on probation |
Arzu Yıldız, Haberdar Ankara Bureau Chief |
Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak, Yarına Bakış, Under arrest |
Aytekin Gezici, Under arrest |
Ayşenur Parıldak, former Zaman correspondent, Under arrest |
Bayram Kaya, Zaman, Yeni Hayat reporter, Under arrest |
Behçet Akyar |
Bertan Golal, TRT İstanbul, In custody |
Bilal Şahin, Özgür Düşünce, Left the country according to AA |
Bülent Ceyhan, Özgür Düşünce reporter, Left the country according to AA |
Bülent Keneş, Former Today's Zaman Editor-in-Chief |
Bülent Korucu, Former Zaman columnist |
Bülent Mumay, Former Hürriyet Digital Publications Coordinator, Released by court order |
Bünyamin Köseli, Former Aksiyon reporter, Under arrest |
Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Under arrest |
Cevheri Güven, Nokta Magazine Editor-in-Chief |
Cihan Acar, Former Bugün reporter, Under arrest |
Cuma Kaya, Under arrest |
Cuma Ulus, Former Publications Coordinator for Millet daily, Under arrest |
Emre Koçali, Haberdar, In custody |
Emre Soncan, Former Zaman Defense Reporter, Under arrest |
Ercan Gün, Fox TV News Editor, Released on probation, arrested in another investigation |
Erkan Akkuş, Former Bugün TV Anchor |
Erkan Büyük, Haberdar, In custody |
Ertuğrul Erbaş, Former Nokta Magazine Editor |
Faruk Akkan, Cihan Ajansı, Under arrest |
Faruk Kardıç |
Fatih Akalan, Samanyolu Haber Tv commentator, Left the country according to AA |
Fatih Yağmur, Former Radikal reporter, Left the country according to AA |
Fevzi Yazıcı, Zaman Visual Director (formerly), Under arrest |
Habip Güler, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest |
Hakan Bülent Yardımcı, In custody |
Hakan Taşdelen, Under arrest |
Halil İbrahim Mert, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest |
Hamit Bilici, Former Zaman Editor-in-Chief |
Hamit Çiçek |
Hanım Büşra Erdal, Former Zaman reporter and columnist, Under arrest |
Haşim Söylemez, Former Aksiyon Magazine columnist, Under arrest |
Hilmi Yavuz, Former Zaman columnist, Released due to poor health, will testify at a later time |
Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter, Under arrest |
Hüseyin Döğme |
Hüseyin Turan, Partner in Feza Group (owners of Zaman), Under arrest |
İbrahim Balta, Former Zaman Business Editor, Under arrest |
İhsan Duran Dağı, Former Zaman columnist, Released by prosecutor without court referral |
İsi Siyi, Haberdar, In custody |
Kamil Maman, Former Bugün reporter, Left the country according to AA |
Kerim Gün, Former Zaman Editor |
Lalezar Sarıibrahimoğlu (Lale Kemal), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Levent Kenez, Meydan Gazetesi Editor-in-Chief |
Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet (local newspaper), In custody |
Mahmut Hazar, Cihan News Agency, Left the country according to AA |
Mehmet Akif Afşar |
Mehmet Gündem, Former Milliyet columnist, Released by court order |
Mehmet Kamış, Former Zaman columnist |
Mehmet Özdemir, Under arrest |
Melih Kılıç, Zaman Media Group Sales Department |
Metin Tamer Gökçeoğlu |
Metin Yıkar, Samanyolu Haber |
Muhammed Fatih Uğur, Former Zaman News Manager |
Murat Avcıoğlu, Under arrest |
Mustafa Erkan Acar, Cihan News Agency, Under arrest |
Mustafa Ünal, Under arrest |
Mümtaz'er Türköne, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Mürsel Genç, Former Cihan reporter |
Nevzat Güner |
Nuri Durna, TRT (Ezurum), Under arrest |
Nuriye Ural (Akman), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Oktay Vızvız, |
Olgun Batur, Local Antalya journalist, In custody |
Osman Nuri Arslan, Partner in finance company FIA, Released on probation |
Osman Nuri Öztürk, Released on probation |
Ömer Karakaş |
Özcan Keser, TRT İstanbul, In custody |
Rıfat Söylemez, Adana Günaydın (local newspaper), In custody |
Sait Sefa, Haberdar |
Sedat Yetişkin |
Selahattin Sevi, Former Zaman Photograpy Coordinator, Left the country according to AA |
Sevgi Akarçeşme, Former Today’s Zaman Editor-in-Chief |
Seyid Kılıç, Former TRT reporter, Under arrest |
Süleyman Sargın |
Şahin Alpay, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
Şenol Kahraman |
Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV, Under arrest |
Taner Talaş, Adana Yerel, In custody |
Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya, In custody |
Turan Görüryılmaz, Can Erzincan TV anchor, Left the country according to AA |
Ufuk Emin Köroğlu, Karşı Gazete reporter, Left the country according to AA |
Ufuk Şanlı, Former Vatan columnist, Under arrest |
Veysel Ayhan |
Yakup Çetin, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest |
Yakup Sağlam, Former Samanyolu reporter, Released on probation |
Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest |
Yüksel Durgut |
Yüksel Evsen, Adana local journalist, In custody |
Zafer Özsoy, Under arrest |
Zeki Önal, Not taken into custody due to advanced age and illness; his home was searched |
Journalists detained under State of Emergency outside coup probe
Selami Aslan – DİHA,
Released Mehmet Sıddık Damar – DİHA,
Released Esra Aydın – JİNHA,
Released Geylan Arslan – JİNHA,
Released Nizamettin Yılmaz – Azadiya Welat,
In custody İdris Yılmaz – DİHA,
In custody Selman Keleş – DİHA,
In custody Hasan Akbaş – Evrensel,
Released Fırat Topal – Evrensel,
Released Serpil Berk – Evrensel,
Released Sertaç Kayar – Freelance journalist,
Released Engin Eren – DİHA,
In custody Metin Bekiroğlu – DİHA,
In custody Fatma Edemen – ETHA,
In custody Zana Kaya – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Günay Aksoy – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Kemal Bozkurt – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Reyhan Hacıoğlu – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Önder Elaldı – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Ender Önder – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Sinan Balık – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Fırat Yeşilçınar – Özgür Gündem,
In custody İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Özgür Paksoy – DİHA muhabiri,
In custody Zeki Erden – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Elif Aydoğmuş – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Mesut Kaynar – DİHA,
In custody Sevdiye Gürbüz – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Amine Demirkıran – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Bayram Balcı – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Burcu Özkaya – Özgür Gündem,
In custody Yılmaz Bozkurt – İstanbul Tabip Odası Basın Bürosu,
In custody Gülfem Karataş – İMC TV,
In custody Gökhan Çetin – İMC TV,
In custody Hüseyin Gündüz – Doğu Publishing House,
Journalists known to have been arrested during State of Emergency outside coup probe
Zeynel Abidin Bulut – Azadiya Welat,
Under arrest Zehra Doğan – JİNHA,
Under arrest Hülya Karakaya – Özgür Halk,
Under arrest Mehmet Arslan – DİHA,
Under arrest Lindsey Snell – Freelance journalist,
Under arrest Şermin Soydan – DİHA (arrested before the declaration of the State of Emergency),
List of media outlets shut down under State of Emergency decrees TV Stations:
Barış TV, Bugün TV, Can Erzincan TV, Dünya TV, Hira TV, Irmak TV, Kanal 124, Kanaltürk, MC TV, Mehtap TV, Merkür TV, Samanyolu Haber, Samanyolu TV, SRT TV, Tuna Shopping TV, Yumurcak TV.
News Agencies:
Cihan Haber Ajansı, Muhabir Haber Ajansı and SEM Haber Ajansı
Newspapers:
Adana Haber, Adana Medya, Akdeniz Türk, Şuhut’un Sesi, Kurtuluş, Lider, İscehisar, Durum, Türkeli, Antalya, Yerel Bakış, Nazar, Batman, Batman Postası, Batman Doğuş, Bingöl Olay, İrade, İskenderun Olay, Ekonomi, Ege’de Son Söz, Demokrat Gebze, Kocaeli Manşet, Bizim Kocaeli, Haber Kütahya, Gediz, Zafer, Hisar, Turgutlu Havadis, Milas Feza, Türkiye’de Yeni Yıldız, Hakikat, Urfa Haber Ajansı, Ajans 11, Yeni Emek, Banaz Postası, Son Nokta, Merkür Haber, Millet, Bugün, Meydan, Özgür Düşünce, Taraf, Yarına Bakış, Yeni Hayat, Zaman, Today’s Zaman, Özgür Gündem.
Magazines:
Akademik Araştırmalar, Aksiyon, Asya Pasifik, Bisiklet Çocuk, Diyalog, Avrasya, Ekolife, Ekoloji, Fountain, Gonca, Gül Yaprağı, Nokta, Sızıntı, Yağmur, Yeni Ümit, Zirve.
Radio stations:
Aksaray Mavi, Aktüel, Berfin, Burç, Cihan, Dünya, Esra, Haber Radyo Ege, Herkül, Jest, Kanaltürk, Radyo 59, Radyo Aile Rehberi, Radyo Bamteli, Radyo Cihan, Radyo Fıkıh, Radyo Küre, Radyo Mehtap, Radyo Nur, Radyo Şemşik, Samanyolu Haber, Umut, Yağmur.
Publishing houses:
Altınburç, Burak Basın Yayın Dağıtım, Define, Dolunay Eğitim Yayın Dağıtım, Giresun Basın Yayın Dağıtım, Gonca, Gülyurdu, GYV, Işık Akademi, Işık Özel Eğitim, İklim Basın Yayın Pazarlama, Kaydırak, Kaynak, Kervan Basın Yayıncılık, Kuşak, Muştu, Nil, Rehber, Sürat Basım Yayın Reklamcılık Eğitim Araçları, Sütun, Şahdamar, Ufuk Basın Yayın Haber Ajans Pazarlama, Ufuk, Waşanxaneya Nil, Yay Basın Dağıtım, Yeni Akademi, Yitik Hazine, Zambak Basın Yayın Eğitim Turizm
*Glossary of legal terms used in this text
Detain / Place in custody: To hold in police custody for police interrogation first, and later for testimony to a prosecutor. Might lead to a court appearance depending on the action taken by the prosecutor.
Arrest: To put into prison indefinitely – by court order – pending trial.
Released on probation: Released with an international flight ban issued. Usually entails checking in regularly with a designated police station.
These lists have been compiled by P24 editors from open news sources and will be updated regularly. Journalists who want to report developments about themselves or their colleagues can contact us at punto24info@gmail.com