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 – 9

Journalists in State of Emergency  – 9

There have been new detentions and at least one arrest in the investigation launched into the “media arm” of organization accused of being behind the July 15 coup attempt.

On Aug. 11, former Zaman journalist Ayşenur Parlak was arrested in Ankara. Her arrest brings the number of journalists known to have been arrested as part of the coup investigation to 43.

Also on Aug. 11, 42 employees of the state owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) were detained. A complete list of those who were detained in that operation wasn’t disclosed, but news reports suggest the detained include TRT anchors.

Ambiguity surrounding passport cancellations

Although there have been a large number of confirmed cancellations of passports held by journalists; lawyers, and even relatives of suspected journalists in the coup investigation, the authorities have remained mostly silent on what criteria are considered for canceling passports.

In the latest development regarding apparent efforts to limit journalists’ freedom of movement, the Directorate General of Press and Information announced that journalists holding passports designated for special service – issued on a short-term basis for a limited number of journalists in a given press organization – will have to get a notice from the General Directorate explicitly stating that the passport holder has not been barred from leaving the country.

On Aug. 8, Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Selina Doğan said she had been informed by the police department that all journalists’ passports had been cancelled as a measure to prevent coup suspects from fleeing. On Aug. 6, journalist Hayko Bağdat announced that his passport had been confiscated at an Istanbul airport, but later said his passport was returned as a result of the involvement of CHP deputies.

In a bid to acquire official information on the question of passports, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Meral Danış Beştaş filed a question motion in Parliament, demanding a response from Interior Minister Efkan Ala.

A total of 74,562 passports have been cancelled after the coup attempt, according to official figures.

There were several unconfirmed reports of cancellations of passports held by businessmen suspected of affiliation with the Gülen movement. Reports have claimed that Turkish authorities report passports as being stolen or lost to Interpol, outside the knowledge of the owner of the passport. Other reports suggest this practice had been ongoing even before the coup attempt and that Interpol officials are prepared to disregard some of the most recent cancellations. In response to a formal information request on the issue filed by P24, Interpol said passport cancellations must be in compliance with Article 3 of the organization’s Constitution, which states that Interpol cannot “undertake any activities that are of a political, military, religious or racial character” and that “any data submitted by a member country which is found to contravene Article 3 is removed from INTERPOL’s databases.” The organization did not comment on whether it has decided that Turkey’s cancellations contravene Article 3 or not.

Interpol has also said any queries regarding claims or reports of individuals with cancelled Turkish passports traveling to third countries should be referred to border officials in the relevant country, in a phone conversation that was initiated by Interpol to follow-up on its response to the initial information request.

In a related development, 200 journalists have been banned from entering the Turkish Parliament.

Academics have also been pressured since the declaration of State of Emergency in Turkey. On Aug. 9, two academics, who had signed the Academics for Peace declaration against security operations in Turkey’s Kurdish-dominated areas were removed from their positions, according to social media reports.

Alleged pressure on families

There have been several claims of maltreatment and pressure on families of those suspected of involvement in the coup plot, yet authorities haven’t made any statement concerning these allegations s far.

Tarık Korucu, the son of former Zaman columnist Bülent Korucu, had earlier claimed that his mother, Hacer Korucu, was arrested by police with officials saying she would be released only if Bülent Korucu turns himself in. Rebecca Harms, co-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance publicly expressed concern over these allegations on Twitter.

Detentions outside the coup probe

State of Emergency conditions have also helped authorities to increase pressure on other critical press. On Aug. 10, Evrensel reporters Hasan Akbaş, Fırat Topal, Serpil Berk and freelancer Sertaç Kayar were detained in Diyarbakır. The four journalists were subject to maltreatment under detention and officials made veiled proposals to recruit the journalists as agents for the police, according to lawyer Rengin Ergül, who visited the four journalists in jail. The journalists were released on Aug. 12.

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
Arda Akın, Hürriyet reporter, Released on probation
Arzu Yıldız, Haberdar
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 Zaman 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

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.

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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