Several journalists, who have not been detained in the ongoing investigation into the July 15 coup attempt, have said authorities have canceled their passports.

In a related development, the daughter of Şahin Alpay, a former Zaman columnist arrested in the post-coup probe, said her passport had been confiscated by police at Atatürk Airport and she had been prevented from departing for Kosovo on August 5. Elvan Alpay, who is an artist and was due in Kosovo to participate in an art show, said authorities had not told her the reason for confiscation.

Hayko Bağdat, a columnist with the independent news site Diken, tweeted on Aug. 6 that his passport had been confiscated while re-entering Turkey after a trip to Greece. Following his announcement, Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Selina Doğan announced that passports of all registered journalists were canceled as a precautionary measure, basing this information on accounts of officials at the Istanbul Police Department. Doğan’s announcement couldn’t be confirmed immediately. On Aug. 9, Hayko Bağdat said police returned his passport following involvement of CHP deputies.

However, Bağdat announced that he was called in to the Police Department to testify a few hours after his passport was returned. He said he believed the call was related to an “insult” investigation, indicating that he was potentially called to testify regarding possible charges of “insulting the president,” criminalized under a Turkish Penal Code (TCK) article which has been used extensively in recent years against writers, journalists, activists and social media users.

There have also been reports that Today’s Zaman’s former Editor-in-Chief Sevgi Akarçeşme’s and Cumhuriyet’s Editor-in-Chief Can Dündar’s passports have been canceled. Both journalists are currently abroad.

Pressure on suspects’ families

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the de-facto ban on Elvan Alpay could be a sign of a general policy targeting all relatives of the journalists who are being investigated in the post-coup probe, but there have been allegations of other forms of arrestment.

Earlier, the son of former Zaman columnist Bülent Korucu – who is wanted in the investigation – claimed that police had detained his mother hostage. Korucu’s wife Hacer Korucu was put under arrest on Aug. 9, and authorities have been mum on the charges against her. The couple’s son, Tarık Korucu, said she had been arrested for attending activities organized by the Fethullah Gülen community in the past. He also claimed that the family was told openly that she would be released if Bülent Korucu turned himself in.

Passport cancelations for Kurdish lawyers and journalists

Several Kurdish journalists, including the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Özgür Gündem Eren Keskin, also said their passports had been canceled under Emergency Rule conditions.

Other Özgür Gündem journalists, including Co-Editor-in-Chief Hüseyin Aykol, Reyhan Çapan, Ayşe Berktay, Reyhan Hacıoğlu and member of Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) lawyer Nuray Özdogan’s passports were also cancelled according to social media reports:

Daily Evrensel reported on Aug. 9 that the 14th Criminal Court demanded the cancellation of passports held by the above-mentioned journalists and lawyer.

Reports of arbitrary deportations, foreign journalists under arrest

Spanish journalist Beatriz Yubaro was deported on Aug. 9 according to media reports, with officials offering no formal explanation on the reason for deportation. In a related event, Diken columnist Amberin Zaman reported that US journalist Lindsey Snell had been arrested after being captured by Turkish security forces in Hatay province, near the Syrian border. Turkish officials have accused Snell of being a spy for the US government.

Legal proceedings outside coup probe

On Aug. 10, Şermin Soydan, a reporter for the Kurdish DİHA news agency, appeared before a court facing life in prison for reporting on a secret operation conducted by security forces. Soydan was taken into police custody on May 14 in Hakkari.

International and domestic journalists’ unions and journalists have protested against the life sentence demanded for Soydan.

On Aug. 9, in an unconfirmed report, DİHA reporter Evrim Kepenek tweeted that DİHA reporter Mesut Kaynar had been taken into custody in İstanbul.

42 journalists have been arrested in the coup investigation. According to the Platform for Solidarity with Journalists Under Arrest, currently 76 journalists are under arrest*.

* US Journalist Lindsey Snell, arrested by Turkish authorities on espionage charges, is not included in this total. 

Last known legal status of journalists for whom detention warrants have been issued as part of post-coup probe

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

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

Lindsey Snell – Freelance journalist

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.

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.