Journalist Evren Demirdaş targeted on social media; indictment issued against woman who was jailed over street interview; journalist Sinan Aygül assaulted by mayor and security guard; investigations against journalists Arat Barış Güven, Ruşen Çakır dismissed; access to Instagram restored

Sözcü reporter Evren Demirdaş targeted on social media

Evren Demirdaş, an Elazığ-based reporter for Sözcü newspaper, was targeted on social media by Ziver Holding Chairman Veysel Demirci after penning a news article on public tenders the holding recently received.

The businessman first targeted Demirdaş on 17 August 2024, the day on which the news report was published. In a post in which he mentioned the social media accounts of Demirdaş and Sözcü newspaper, the businessman wrote, “We know very well the ones who make you bark,” and called Demirdaş a “terror supporter.” Veysel Demirci also targeted the Diyarbakır Office of the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) on social media after they reacted to his insulting posts targeting Demirdaş.

Continuing his insulting posts on 18 August, Demirci this time quoted journalist Alican Uludağ’s post in which he reacted to Demirdaş being targeted on social media, and wrote: “Isn't it easy to target honorable people with fake news?” and called the journalists “traitors, terror lovers, liars, frauds and bullies.”

Indictment issued against woman who was jailed over comments in street interview

The indictment against a woman who was arrested in Izmir on 12 August 2024 over her comments in a street interview has been issued. The woman’s lawyer, Hüseyin Yıldız, told reporters on 16 August that the indictment was accepted by a criminal court of first instance in Izmir, which set 3 September 2024 as the date for her first hearing.

The woman, named Dilruba Y., was arrested on the allegations of “insulting the president” and “inciting hatred and hostility” over her remarks regarding the recent access ban on Instagram, the controversial amendments to the Animal Protection Law and Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul convention in the video, posted on 8 August on the YouTube channel “Tüylü Mikrofon.”

Dilruba Y.’s arrest came only four days after the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) President Ebubekir Şahin posted a statement on social media regarding street interviews on 8 August and said that “such broadcasting activities” were “under the scrutiny of RTÜK.” Şahin stated that these interviews contained “only the opinions in line with the message desired to be given” and that they “lead to disinformation.” For further information, see this report.

Journalist Sinan Aygül threatened, assaulted by mayor and security guard

Bitlis Journalists’ Association President and Bitlis News Editor-in-Chief Sinan Aygül announced on his social media account on 15 August 2024 that he was threatened by the Mayor of Tatvan Mümin Erol and physically assaulted by the mayor’s security guard Abdullah Erol, who is also the mayor’s nephew.

Aygül said he was threatened and assaulted after he revealed the invoices billed to the municipality for three high-end mobile phones allegedly purchased for the mayor and his deputies in a social media post earlier on Thursday.

Investigations against journalist Arat Barış Güven dismissed

Istanbul’s Çerkezköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has decided not to prosecute journalist Arat Barış Güven, who was facing two investigations on the allegations of “inciting hatred and hostility” and “publicly degrading the military or security forces of the state.”

The prosecutor’s office concluded that the social media posts held as grounds for the allegations constituted severe criticism and decided not to prosecute Güven, stating that the elements of the offenses were not present.

The investigations were launched as a result of “cyber patrolling” carried out by the Mardin Provincial Gendarmerie Command in 2022 although the practice was canceled by the Constitutional Court in 2020 for being unconstitutional.

Investigation against journalist Ruşen Çakır dismissed

Medyascope Chief Editor Ruşen Çakır announced on his social media account this week that an investigation launched against him upon a complaint by former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu was dismissed. The journalist said Istanbul’s Gaziosmanpaşa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office ruled for non-prosecution on 12 August 2024 in the investigation, where he faced the allegation of “insult.” Çakır did not elaborate on the content held as the grounds for the investigation.

Access to Instagram restored after nine days

The access block imposed by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) on Instagram on 2 August 2024 on the grounds that it “did not comply with catalog crimes” was lifted nine days later, on 10 August 2024.

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on 10 August on the social media platform X that the access block was lifted after Instagram’s parent company META agreed to comply with Turkey’s requests: “As a result of our negotiations with Instagram representatives, we will lift the access block as of 21:30, especially after they promised to meet our demands within the framework of ‘catalog crimes’ and to work jointly on censoring of users.”

According to Minister Uraloğlu’s statement, the agreement between META and the government includes the removal of content related to “catalog crimes,” not closing accounts without warning, and closing accounts used by organizations which Turkey considers to be terrorist organizations.

At least 25 journalists and media workers in prison

As of 16 August 2024 there are at least 25 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a finalized prison sentence.

The full list can be accessed here.