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.
Two journalists were arrested in the latest developments in the investigation launched into the July 15 coup attempt; bringing the number of journalists arrested in the coup probe to 53. Together with two other arrests occurring outside the coup probe, the number of imprisoned journalists in Turkey has reached 97 as of Aug. 26. P24 recently obtained and now confirmed information regarding the coup-attempt related arrests of seven other journalists – all former Zaman staff – who were sent to prison over the past weeks but their cases were never reported. With their names added to the list, total number of journalists under arrest in Turkey reaches 104.
Former public prosecutor and journalist Gültekin Avcı, who has been wanted in the post-coup investigation, was captured in the basement of a residential building in İzmir Karabağlar district and arrested on charges of “membership in an armed organization” on Aug. 16.
Another journalist recently put under arrest was Fox TV News Editor Ercan Gün, who was arrested on Aug. 25. Earlier, Gün had been detained but later released as part of coup probe. His latest arrest comes as part of an investigation into the 2007 murder of journalist Hrant Dink. The investigation into Dink’s murder is not directly part of the coup probe, but it is related to the general investigation into Fethullah Gülen’s supporters as government officials claim Gülenists involvement in Dink’s assassination.
Investigations outside coup probe
Eren Keskin, a lawyer, human rights activist and a former editor-in-chief of the Özgür Gündem daily, which was temporarily shut down on Aug. 16 by court order, was released on Aug. 25 after being referred to a court by prosecutors. Keskin’s home was raided on Aug. 16, but she came to testify to the courthouse of her own accord, although she said she hadn’t been formally called to testify. Keskin was let go with an international flight ban.
In her court testimony, Keskin stated that she wrote in Özgür Gündem to create awareness of rampant violence against women and murders of women at the hands of men in Turkey and the country’s unsolved murders, most of which are believed to be politically motivated killings.
On August 26, Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Erdem Mühirci and Kurdish newspaper Azadiya Welat journalist Ali Aşikar were arrested on terror-related charges by a Van court.
DİHA journalist Sebahattin Koyuncu, who was detained in Şırnak’s Silopi province on Aug. 23, was released on Aug. 26.
On August 23, two journalists, Cemil Uğur from Evrensel and freelancer Halil Polat, were detained in Mersin for supporting a campaign titled “Freedom Watch” organized in support of the PKK’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan.
In another development, a detention warrant was issued for journalist Ergun Babahan over a social media tweet he posted after an armed attack on a convoy carrying Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
Prison visit from P24
On Aug. 24, Lawyer Veysel Ok visited former Zaman columnist Lale Kemal and Özgür Gündem columnist Aslı Erdoğan in Bakırköy Prison on behalf of P24’s Legal Unit. Erdoğan and Kemal shared information on their health condition and related issues arising from their prolonged imprisonment.
Press Bans
Hundreds of newspapers have so far been shut down under Turkey’s State of Emergency, declared on July 20. In the latest such move, the government shut down Özgür Gündem, accusing the newspaper of conducting terror propaganda. In a related development, the 9th Criminal Judicature of Peace on Aug. 26 ordered a special issue by the Atılım newspaper published in support of Özgür Gündem pulled from shelves. The ruling applies to future special editions that might have similar content.
According to media reports from Aug. 27, a total of 29 TV stations broadcasting without proper licensing were shut down by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTÜK) while two others, VanTV and Özgür Gün TV, were issued fines for praising terrorism and broadcasting material that is discriminatory.
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, Under arrest | |
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
Alaattin Kaya, former owner to Zaman’s rights, Under arrest |
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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
Aziz İstegün, former Zaman Diyarbakır regional representative, Under arrest |
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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 | |
Cumali Önal, Former Zaman editor in charge of Arabic publications, Under arrest | |
Emre Koçali, Haberdar, In custody | |
Emre Soncan, Former Zaman Defense Reporter, Under arrest | |
Ercan Gün, Fox TV News Editor, Under arrest (as part of Hrant Dink murder 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
Gültekin Avcı, Under arrest |
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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 Kuru, Former Zaman Eskişehir reporter, Under arrest |
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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
Nurullah Kaya, former Zaman Gaziantep regional representative, Under arrest |
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Oktay Vızvız, | |
Olgun Matur, Local Antalya journalist, Under arrest | |
Osman Nuri Arslan, Partner in finance company FIA, Released on probation | |
Osman Nuri Öztürk, Released on probation
Osman Yakut, Former Zaman Antalya reporter , Under arrest |
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Ömer Karakaş | |
Özcan Keser, TRT İstanbul, In custody,
Özkan Mayda, Former Zaman Antalya reporter , Under arrest Resul Cengiz, former Zaman Denizli reporter, Under arrest |
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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, Under arrest | |
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
Vahit Yazgan, former Zaman İzmir regional representative, Under arrest |
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Veysel Ayhan | |
Yakup Çetin, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest | |
Yakup Sağlam, Former Samanyolu reporter, Released on probation
Yakup Şimşek, Zaman newspaper marketing professional, Under arrest |
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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, Released
Fatma Edemen – ETHA, Released
Zana Kaya – Özgür Gündem, In custody
Günay Aksoy – Özgür Gündem, Released
Kemal Bozkurt – Özgür Gündem, Released
Reyhan Hacıoğlu – Özgür Gündem, Released
Önder Elaldı – Özgür Gündem, Released
Ender Önder – Özgür Gündem, Released
Sinan Balık – Özgür Gündem, Released
Fırat Yeşilçınar – Özgür Gündem, Released
İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem, In custody
Özgür Paksoy – DİHA muhabiri, Released
Zeki Erden – Özgür Gündem, Released
Elif Aydoğmuş – Özgür Gündem, Released
Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released
Mesut Kaynar – DİHA, Released
Sevdiye Gürbüz – Özgür Gündem, Released
Amine Demirkıran – Özgür Gündem, Released
Bayram Balcı – Özgür Gündem, Released
Burcu Özkaya – Özgür Gündem, Released
Yılmaz Bozkurt – İstanbul Tabip Odası Basın Bürosu, Released
Gülfem Karataş – İMC TV, Released
Gökhan Çetin – İMC TV, Released
Hüseyin Gündüz – Doğu Publishing House, Released
Halil Polat – DİHA, In custody
Erdem Mühirci – DİHA, In custody
Sabahattin Koyuncu – DİHA, Released
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
Metin Bekiroğlu – DİHA, Under arrest
Aslı Erdoğan – Özgür Gündem, Under arrest
Zana Kaya – Özgür Gündem, Under arrest
İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem, Under arrest
Erdem Mühirci – DİHA, Under arrest
Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat, 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