Hi {contact.first_name},

The Turkish government has a long history of harassing journalists and using the courts to silence them – a situation that continues to deteriorate following President Erdoğan’s victory in May’s presidential election.

• In June, journalist Sinan Aygül was attacked in eastern Turkey after months of judicial harassment – 137 criminal investigations to date, all in connection with his journalism – and death threats. Aygül reported that security guards working for the Mayor of Tatvan were behind the assault, which took place 4 months after he became the first journalist to be charged with ‘spreading disinformation’ (which the Turkish parliament criminalised last October). Aygül was sentenced to 10 months in prison, which he is now appealing.

• On 25 July, T24 editor Sibel Yükler, Mezopotamya Agency reporters Delal Akyüz and Fırat Can Arslan, Bianet editor Evrim Kepenek, and freelance journalist Evrim Deniz were all detained – some during raids on their homes – under the anti-terror law, which is frequently used to attack journalistic activity.

• On 2 August, the Ministry of Justice ordered journalist Barış Pehlivan to turn himself over to authorities, leading to him being jailed for the fifth time.

These are just three of the many cases ARTICLE 19 has highlighted in recent months. Assaults on freedom of expression and press freedom in Turkey continue, and the risks journalists face are on the increase. Much of this is due the introduction of new laws, and amendments made to existing ones, that significantly shrink and suffocate the space for freedom of expression.

ARTICLE 19 and other human rights and civil society groups have criticised these amendments, introduced in October 2022, which constitute a package of rules often referred to as the ‘censorship law’.

The amendments not only criminalise ‘spreading disinformation’ (which Sinan Aygül was charged for), and used to target journalists and their reporting that present authorities in a bad light, but also allow for much tighter government control over social media: platforms can now be throttled if they refuse to comply with government orders to remove or block content, or if they refuse to provide user data upon request.

The Turkish government must put an end to the ongoing judicial harassment of journalists, who are targeted for exercising their fundamental right to free speech and providing people in Turkey with accurate information. Authorities must stop abusing anti-terror and internet laws, arbitrarily and systematically detaining media workers, and silencing the media.

ARTICLE 19 stands in solidarity with these journalists. We will continue to advocate for them and others who face similar struggles, and to call on the Turkish government to ensure journalists can do their crucial jobs freely and safely.

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