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.
Haberdar columnist Murat Aksoy; pop singer and more recently Meydan columnist Atilla Taş; Millet Newspaper’s Newsroom Coordinator Mutlu Çölgeçen, and columnist for the Türk Solu newspaper Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu were arrested on Sept. 2 in the “FETÖ/PDY” probe. Detention warrants had been issued for the four journalists on Aug. 30, along with 31 other journalists.
Out of the 31 on the same list, eight others had been detained in late August. Former NTV news editor Alparslan Akkuş, former Zaman columnist Nurullah Öztürk, former Samanyolu Haber columnist Rasih Yılmaz and former Ankara bureau chief for the Meydan daily, Ömer Şahin were released by prosecutors.
Four others – Hürriyet’s online news editor Dinçer Gökçe, former Bugün daily reporter İskender Yunus Tiryaki, Postmedya.com news site executive Levent Arap, and Ayhan Şimşek -- were released on probation, meaning they will have to check in regularly with their local police department and are barred from travel outside the country.
On Sept. 1, Alaattin Kaya, who formerly owned the rights to the Zaman Newspaper, was arrested in the post coup probe.
Authorities seize Dilek Dündar’s passport
On Sept. 3, police at Atatürk Airport seized the passport of Dilek Dündar, wife of former Cumhuriyet Editor-in-chief Can Dündar. Dilek Dündar’s passport was confiscated while she was preparing to travel to Germany. Her passport’s seizure has caused concerns regarding allegations of mistreatment of suspect relatives in the post-coup investigation to resurface.
In a statement he made on Aug. 21, Can Dündar said that he feared he would be tried for “aiding FETÖ” over a Cumhuriyet report titled “MİT trucks,” detailing an alleged weapons transfer to armed opposition groups in Syria loaded on trucks owned by Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency (MİT).
Trial against former Taraf execs over ‘’Egemen Operation Plan’’
The first hearing in the trial of journalists Mehmet Baransu, Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Çongar and Yıldıray Oğur over the publication of military plans called the “Egemen Operation Plan” – although publicly it is generally believed to be about the “Balyoz Operation Plan” -- was held on Sept. 2 at the Çağlayan Courthouse in İstanbul.
The 13th Criminal Court, which is hearing the trial, ruled to return Mehmet Baransu, who has been jailed since March 2, 2015 as part of the investigation, to prison.
Developments concerning journalists outside coup probe
On Sept. 1, Dice News Agency (DİHA) reporter Sebahattin Koyuncu was arrested over an interview with deputies of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Koyuncu had earlier been detained for three days in August, but later released.
Another DİHA reporter, Engin Eren, who had been in detention for 17 days, was released on Aug. 29.
On Sept. 2, 13 out of the 23 employees of the Kurdish-language Azadiya Welat daily, whose central Diyarbakır office was raided on Aug. 28 , were released on Sept. 2.
The names of those released are: Ahmet Kızılay, Ahmet Boltan, Veysi Altın, Ercan Yeltaş, Mehmet Aydın, Mehmet Emin Aygün, Azime Tarhan, Süreyya Dal, Berhudan Tulpar, Mehmet Hüseyin Şahin, Cengiz Arslan, Ziya Karahan and Ceylan İpek.
Evrensel reporters threatened with death
Two reporters from the Evrensel daily – Cemil Uğur and Halil İbrahim Polat detained on Aug. 23 in Mersin Province – were threatened with death and were subjected to mistreatment, insults and violence in custody, Evrensel has reported.
115 journalists in prison
The number of journalists, newspaper owners or newspaper rights’ owners who are in prison in Turkey has reached 115 with the recent arrests. It is likely, however, that the actual number is higher as this figure does not include those journalists who might have been arrested without this information being published in any news source. Nor does it include the individuals who are known to be journalists and in detention or under arrest, on account of the authorities’ not releasing their names in previous operations against media organizations.
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 Alparslan Akkuş,Former NTV news editor, Released |
| Abdullah Katırcıoğlu, Under arrest |
| Abdullah Kılıç, Meydan columnist, Under arrest |
| Abdullah Özyurt, local Adana journalists, Under arrest |
| Adil Gülçek, Former Cihan Medya director |
| Ahmet Dönmez, Former Zaman reporter, Left the country according to AA |
| Ahmet Memiş, Newsdar, Under arrest |
| Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Cihan Medya President, 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, formerly owner to Zaman’s rights, Under arrest |
| Ali Akbulut, formerly owner to Zaman’s rights |
| Ali Akkuş, Former Zaman general publications editor, Under arrest |
| Ali Bulaç, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
| Ali Ünal, former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
| Ali Yurttagül, former Zaman columnist
Arda Akın, Hürriyet reporter, Under arrest |
| Arzu Yıldız, Haberdar Ankara Bureau Chief |
| Ayhan Şimşek , Released on probation |
| Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak, Yarına Bakış, Under arrest
Ayşe Özkalay, former Yeni Hayat columnist |
| Ayşenur Parıldak, Zaman, Under arrest |
| Aytekin Gezici, Under arrest
Asım Yıldırım, former STV anchor Atilla Taş, Meydan columnist, Under arrest |
| Aziz İstegün, Former Zaman Diyarbakır regional representative, Under arrest |
| Bayram Kaya, Zaman, Yeni Hayat reporter, Under arrest |
| Behçet Akyar |
| Bertan Golali, TRT İstanbul, Under arrest |
| 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
Can Bahadır Yüce, former Zaman columnist Celil Sağır,Today's Zaman managing editor |
| Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Under arrest |
| Cevheri Güven, Nokta Magazine Editor-in-chief |
| Cihan Acar, Former Bugün reporter, |
| Cihat Ünal, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest |
| Cuma Kaya, Under arrest |
| Cuma Ulus, Former Millet publications coordinator, Under arrest |
| Cumali Önal, Former Zaman Arabic service editor, Under arrest |
| Dinçer Gökçe,Hürriyet internet editor, Released on probation |
| Eda Şanlı, owner of local Antalya newspaper, Bizim Antalya columnist, Under arrest |
| Emre Koçali, Newsdar, Under arrest |
| Emre Soncan, Former Zaman defense reporter, Under arrest |
| Ercan Gün, Fox TV News Editor, Under arrest |
| Erdal Şen, Meydan Editor, Under arrest |
| Ergun Babahan, Left the country according to AA
Erhan Başyurt, former Bugün editor-in-chief |
| Erkan Akkuş, Former Bugün TV anchor |
| Erkan Büyük, Newsdar, Under arrest |
| Ertuğrul Erbaş, Former Nokta Magazine editor
Eyüp Can Sağlık, former Radikal GYY, former Hürriyet digital press coordinator |
| Faruk Akkan, Cihan Ajansı, Under arrest
Faruk Arslan, former Zaman columnist |
| Faruk Kardıç |
| Fatih Akalan, Samanyolu News Tv commentator, Left the country according to AA |
| Fatih Yağmur, Former Radikal reporter, Left the country according to AA |
| Fevzi Yazıcı, Under arrest
Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türk Solu columnist, Under arrest |
| Gültekin Avcı, Bugün, Under arrest |
| Habip Güler, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest |
| Hakan Bülent Yardımcı, Under arrest |
| 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
Hasan Cücük, former Zaman reporter |
| Haşim Söylemez, Former Aksiyon Magazine columnist, Under arrest |
| Hilmi Yavuz, Former Zaman columnist, Let go due to health condition, will testify later |
| Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter, Under arrest |
| Hüseyin Döğme |
| Hüseyin Turan, Feza Group partner, Under arrest |
| İbrahim Balta, Former Zaman finance editor, Under arrest |
| İbrahim Karayeğen, Eski Zaman newsroom editor, Under arrest
İbrahim Öztürk, former Zaman columnist |
| İhsan Duran Dağı, Former Zaman columnist, Released by prosecutor |
| İhsan Yılmaz, former Today's Zaman columnist |
| İsa Siyi, Haberdar, Under arrest |
| İskender Yunus Tiryaki,Bugün reporter, Under arrest |
| Kamil Maman, Former Bugün reporter, Left the country according to AA
Kemal Gülen, STV anchor |
| Kenan Baş, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest
Kerim Balcı, Turkish Review magazine editor-in-chief |
| Kerim Gün, Former Zaman editor |
| Lalezar Sarıibrahimoğlu (Lale Kemal), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
| Levent Arap,Postmedya.com website administrator, Released on probation |
| Levent Kenez, Meydan Editor-in-chief |
| Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet, Under arrest
Mahmut Akpınar, former Millet columnist |
| Mahmut Hazar, Cihan News Ajansı, Left the country according to AA |
| Mehmet Akif Afşar |
| Mehmet Gündem, Former Milliyet columnist, Released by the court |
| Mehmet Kamış, Former Zaman columnist |
| Mehmet Kuru, Former Zaman Eskişehir reporter, Under arrest |
| Mehmet Özdemir, Under arrest |
| Melih Kılıç, Zaman Medya Group sales department executive |
| Metin Tamer Gökçeoğlu |
| Metin Yıkar, Samanyolu News |
| Muhammed Fatih Uğur, Former Zaman news manager |
| Murat Aksoy,Yarına Bakış columnist, Under arrest |
| Murat Avcıoğlu, Under arrest |
| Mustafa Erkan Acar, Cihan News Ajansı, Under arrest |
| Mustafa Ünal, Under arrest
Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet newsroom coordinator, Under arrest |
| Mümtaz'er Türköne, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
| Mürsel Genç, Former Cihan reporter |
| Nevzat Güner |
| Nuri Durna, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest |
| Nuriye Ural (Akman), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest |
| Nurullah Kaya, Former Zaman Gaziantep bureau chief, Under arrest |
| Nurullah Öztürk,Yeni Şafak former Genel Koordinatörü ve Zaman columnist, Released |
| Oktay Vızvız |
| Olgun Matur, Antalya Yerel, Under arrest |
| Osman Nuri Arslan, FİA Şirketi Ortağı, Released on probation |
| Osman Nuri Öztürk, Released on probation |
| Osman Özsoy, Left the country according to AA |
| Osman Yakut, Former Zaman Antalya Reporter, Under arrest |
| Ömer Karakaş |
| Ömer Şahin ,Meydan’s former Ankara bureau chief, Released
Önder Deligöz, former Yeni Şafak reporter |
| Özcan Keser, TRT İstanbul, Under arrest |
| Özkan Mayda, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest |
| Rasih Yılmaz,Samanyoluhaber columnist, Released |
| Resul Cengiz, Former Zaman Denizli reporter, Under arrest |
| Rıfat Söylemez, Adana Günaydın, Under arrest |
| Sait Sefa, Haberdar
Savaş Genç, former TRT reporter and academic |
| Sedat Yetişkin |
| Selahattin Sevi, Former Zaman photography coordinator, Left the country according to AA
Selçuk Gültaşlı, Zaman Brussels representative and Zaman columnist |
| 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 |
| Şemsettin Efe, Samanyolu News, Left the country according to AA |
| Şenol Kahraman |
| Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV, Under arrest |
| Taner Talaş, Adana local journalist, Under arrest |
| Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya, Under arrest |
| Turan Görüryılmaz, Can Erzincan TV sunucusu, Left the country according to AA
Turhan Bozkurt, former Zaman columnist |
| Ufuk Emin Köroğlu, Karşı Gazete reporter, Left the country according to AA |
| Ufuk Şanlı, Former Vatan columnist, Under arrest
Vahit Yazgan, Former Zaman İzmir representative, Under arrest |
| Vedat Demir, Former Yarına Bakış columnist, Under arrest |
| Veysel Ayhan |
| Yakup Çetin, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest |
| Yakup Sağlam, Former Samanyolu reporter, Released on probation |
| Yakup Şimşek, Former Zaman marketing department director, Under arrest |
| Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest
Yavuz Baydar, former Bugün columnist Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim.com owner, Under arrest Yonca Kaya Şahin, Rotahaber columnist |
| Yüksel Durgut |
| Yüksel Evsen, Adana local journalist, Under arrest |
| Zafer Özsoy, Under arrest |
| Zeki Önal, Not detained due to advanced age and illness. |
Journalists detained under State of Emergency outside coup probe
Selami Aslan – DİHA, Released
Selman Keleş – DİHA, Under arrest
İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest
Mehmet Sıddık Damar – DİHA, Released
Esra Aydın – JİNHA, Released
Geylan Arslan – JİNHA, Released
Nizamettin Yılmaz – Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest
Haydar Ergül – Demokratik Modernite, Under arrest
Hasan Akbaş – Evrensel, Released
Fırat Topal – Evrensel, Released
Serpil Berk – Evrensel, Released
Sertaç Kayar – Serbest Gazeteci, Released
Engin Eren – DİHA, Under arrest
Fatma Edemen – ETHA, Released
Davut Uçar– Özgür Gündem, Released
Doğan Güzel– Özgür Gündem, Released
Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released
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
Özgür Paksoy – DİHA reporter, 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 –Press Office of Chamber of Medicine, Released
Gülfem Karataş – İMC TV, Released
Gökhan Çetin – İMC TV, Released
Hüseyin Gündüz – Doğu Yayınevi , Released
Halil Polat – Freelancer, Under arrest
Sabahattin Koyuncu – DİHA, Under arrest
Cemil Uğur – Evrensel, Under arrest
Yasemin Sayın– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
Hayat Yılmaz– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
Ahmet Kızılaya– Azadiya Welat, Released
Arap Turan– Azadiya Welat, In custody
Berxwedan Tulpar– Azadiya Welat, Released
Sürreya Dal– Azadiya Welat, Released
Zeynep İzgi– Azadiya Welat, In custody
İbrahim Bayram– Azadiya Welat, In custody
Engin Özelçi– Azadiya Welat, In custody
Ahmet Boltan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ceylan İpek– Azadiya Welat, Released
Mehmet Emin Kaya– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ziyan Karahan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Veysi Altın– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ercan Yeltaş– Azadiya Welat, Released
Azime Tarhan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Serdal Polat– Azadiya Welat, In custody
Cengiz Aslan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ferit Toprak– Azadiya Welat, In custody
Mehmet Hüseyin Şahin– Azadiya Welat, Released
Mehmet Aydın– Azadiya Welat, Released
Pusat Bulut– Azadiya Welat, In custody
Mehmet Emin Akgün – Azadiya Welat, Released
Mehmet Ali Ertaş – DİHA, In custody
Journalists known to have been arrested during State of Emergency outside coup probe
Zeynel Abidin Bulut – Azadiya Welat
Zehra Doğan – JİNHA
Hülya Karakaya – Özgür Halk
Mehmet Arslan – DİHA
Şermin Soydan – DİHA
Lindsey Snell – Freelancer
Aslı Erdoğan – Özgür Gündem
Metin Bekiroğlu – DİHA
İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem
Zana (Bilir) Kaya – Özgür Gündem
Erdem Muhirci – DİHA
Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat
Necmiye Alpay – Özgür Gündem
Sabahattin Koyuncu - DİHA
List of journalists arrested before State of Emergency
| Abdulkadir Turay, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat representative |
| Arafat Dayan, Demokratik Ulus former managing editor |
| Cebrail Parıltı, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) Derik reporter |
| Emin Demir, Freelancer |
| Erdal Süsem, Eylül Magazine Editor |
| Erol Zavar, Odak magazine’s owner |
| Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep representative |
| Feyyaz İmrak, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine |
| Hamit Dilbahar, Azadiya Welat columnist |
| Hatice Duman, owner of Atılım newspaper |
| Hidayet Karaca, President of Samanyolu Media |
| Kamuran Sunbat, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) |
| Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya Editor-in-chief |
| Mazlum Dolan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Mehmet Arslan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist |
| Mikail Barut, Özgür Halk Magazine former Editor |
| Miktat Algül, Mezitli FM, General broadcast coordinator |
| Muhammed Doğru, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Mustafa Gök, Ekmek ve Adalet Magazine Ankara representative |
| Nedim Türfent, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim Temsilcisi |
| Özgür Amed (Ethem Çağır), Özgür Gündem columnist |
| Sami Tunca, Mücadele Birliği Magazine news editor |
| Serkan Aydemir, Bitlis Aktüel reporter |
| Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana |
| Şahabettin Demir, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Şerife Oruç, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Şermin Soydan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter |
| Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk Magazine Editor |
| Ziya Ataman, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) Intern |
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.
Haber Agencies: Cihan Haber Ajansı, Muhabir Haber Ajansı and SEM Haber Ajansı
Haberpapers: 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