Turkey, earthquake fall out takes political turn - Article

The devastating earthquakes that shook Turkey on February 6 have uncovered a divided country, where many denounce the earthquakes as an announced tragedy. The government responds to the protests by tightening censorship

By Kenan Behzat Sharpe

Originally published by OBCT, also available in ITA

Call on Turkish authorities to abstain from further restrictions on media in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes - Article

The undersigned partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) express their condolences with the victims of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and reiterate the need for a free media atmosphere as a crucial element of all disaster relief processes

Turkey: International delegation condemns passage of disinformation law and calls for protection of journalists ahead of 2023 elections - Article

This week, seven media freedom, journalism, and human rights organisations met with key stakeholders in Turkey to discuss Turkey’s media freedom crisis

Turkey: Twenty journalists including TGS leadership blacklisted by police - Article

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) expressed solidarity with the twenty journalists blacklisted by the Turkish General Directorate of Security (EGM) for their writing and joined the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) in denouncing an apparent attempt to intimidate independent journalists and trade unionists

Turkey: international groups call on parliament to reject the “disinformation” bill as a tool of digital censorship - Article

Law designed to expand censorship online and criminalize free flow of information

Turkey: Spectre of a Digital Lockdown - Reports

The report led by IPI examines government efforts to increase digital censorship through further control of online information in the build up to the next elections due in 2023. The report is based on the media freedom mission led by IPI in October 2021 which met with journalists, politicians, and the Constitutional Court and draws on IPI’s media monitoring programme conducted under the #FreeTurkeyJournalists campaign

Turkey: MFRR calls for swift and thorough investigation into murder of Güngör Arslan - Article

The partners in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) strongly condemn the murder of Güngör Arslan, the owner and managing editor of the local Ses Kocaeli newspaper in Turkey

Turkey: a call to release Sedef Kabaş - Article

We joined the call of the International Press Institute, signed by other 25 human rights and journalists’ organizations, to ask for the immediate release of journalist Sedef Kabaş following her late-night arrest on January 22 and for an end to the judicial harassment of independent media

Turkey: growing digital censorship compounds press freedom crisis - Article

We joined ten other organisations in a mission to Turkey led by IPI. While the government refused the invitation for a meeting, journalists, civil society representatives, MPs and other institutions denounced an ever-worsening environment for Turkey's remaining independent press

Turkey: CFWIJ demands action to end police brutality against journalists - Article

The Coalition for Women in Journalism launches a petition that recognizes police violence in Turkey as one of the most urgent issues