Expression Interrupted

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.

Journalists in State of Emergency – 11

Journalists in State of Emergency – 11

On. Aug. 17, police raided the homes of Aslı Erdoğan, a novelist of international renown and a board member at Özgür Gündem and Ragıp Zarakolu, a columnist of the newspaper.

Aslı Erdoğan was detained during the police raid on her home and taken to the detention center of the Istanbul Police Department’s Counterterrorism Branch. Reports said Erdoğan, a prominent writer whose works have been translated into many languages and who was chosen by the French literary journal Lire amongst the “50 Writers of Future,” will not be allowed to see her lawyer in the first five days of her detention as per a decision of the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office. However, a tweet later suggested that the prosecutor currently assigned to Erdoğan’s case denied that the writer had been banned from seeing her lawyer. Under Turkey’s State of Emergency rules, the detention period can last up to 30 days and prosecutors have the authority to bar suspects from seeing their lawyers in the first five days of their detention.

Police also raided a house that belongs to the son of Ragıp Zarakolu, a prominent writer, publisher, journalist and human rights-activist, on the grounds that his son’s home is the writer’s formal residence. Zarakolu, who posted a statement on Facebook stated that his son wasn’t home when the police broke in, adding that books found at the residence had been confiscated.

On Aug. 16, Özgür Gündem was shuttered and 23 journalists, including those with Özgür Gündem, Dicle News Agency and İMC, were taken into custody.

A summary of detentions and arrests in State of Emergency

On July 20, Turkey declared a State of Emergency, with officials saying such an extreme measure is necessary to shed full light on the failed coup attempt of July 15. Since the declaration of State of Emeregncy, 44 Kurdish journalists were taken into custody as part of investigations unrelated to the coup probe. Eight of those detained were released, while four others have been arrested. The number of Kurdish journalists who were detained after the declaration of State of Emergency and who are still under detention is 32.

Forty-five journalists have been arrested as part of the coup investigation. Currently, 14 other journalists taken into custody as part of the coup probe are under detention.

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

Bilir Kaya – 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, In custody

Aslı Erdoğan – Özgür Gündem, In custody

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), Under arrest

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
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