At least eleven journalists were detained in dawn raids in different cities by Turkish police on 24 March 2025. The European and International Federation of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ) join their affiliates in Turkey, TGS, TGC, GCD and DİSK Basın-İş in calling for their immediate release and condemning a new crackdown on journalism.
Journalists were detained at 6.00am during a police raid on their homes related to their coverage of protests in support of the Istanbul mayor and opposition presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was detained and charged with corruption on 23 March 2025.
According to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), journalists were likely detained for alleged violations of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.
Among those detained were Yasin Akgül (AFP), Ali Onur Tosun (Now TV News), Bülent Kılıç (freelance), Zeynep Kuray, Kurtuluş Arı (İBB, İstanbul Municipality), Hayri Tunç, Zişan Gür (sendika.org), Gökhan Kam and Barış İnce. Journalist Zişan Gür was taken into custody while reporting from Saraçhane protest on 23 March. In İzmir, Yağız Barut was detained from the protest site while photojournalist Murat Kocabaş was taken into custody at his home by officers from the Anti-Terrorism Branch (TEM).
“Detaining journalists in house raids is an attack on freedom of the press and the public’s right to know the truth. You cannot hide the truth by silencing journalists! We are concerned that new names will be added to this list,” reacted DİSK Basın-İş in a tweet.
Requests to suspend media accounts on X
Many journalists were also severely beaten, shot with rubber bullets and had their equipment broken during the mass protests, which led to the arrests of more than 1,100 people defying the government ban on public gatherings across Turkey.
Meanwhile, Turkish authorities have ordered the social media platform X to block 700 accounts, including the Turkish-language account of the independent online media outlet Bianet under a court order citing “national security and public order”, Gazete Yolculuk or the Middle East Eye. Bandwith throttling on major social media platforms and messaging apps was also reported between 19 and 21 March.
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) President Ebubekir Sahin warned broadcasters on X of sanctions and long-term broadcast suspensions for those broadcasting “outside the law”.
Journalists’ organisations in Turkey and abroad reacted with messages of support for media workers covering the demonstrations and prevented from carrying out their work.
Banu Tanu, General Secretary of TGS said: “Journalists fulfil their duties and responsibilities to the public by reflecting events and the truth to the masses. They are not the usual suspects or enemies of the state. Journalists will always be where the news is, and that’s something you have to get used to.”
“We are not afraid, we are not intimidated, we are not silent. We will not step back. We will not leave our colleagues alone. We will overcome this environment of oppression by increasing our solidarity. The darkness grows as we remain silent. The darkness will definitely disperse as we write,” added the President of the Journalists’ Association (GCD) Nazmi Bilgin.
“In democratic countries, the relevant institutions are responsible for ensuring the life and work safety of journalists, as well as their citizens. However, in our country, on the contrary, representatives of institutions that act contrary to the laws of the establishment constantly threaten the life and work safety of journalists” said TGC in a statement.
EFJ President Maja Sever said: “We stand by the Turkish journalistic community which is going through another dark time, after years of repression and struggle for democracy. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this latest assault on freedom of expression and freedom to demonstrate. Turkish journalists won’t shut up. We won’t shut up. Because journalism is not a crime.”
IFJ President Dominique Pradalie said: “This brutal crackdown on journalists is an outrageous attack on press freedom and democracy. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues and call on Turkish authorities to end this blatant assault on independent journalism. The world is watching.”
Source: EFJ
