Journalists in State of Emergency – 20

 

 

On September 28, the Turkish government closed 12 TV and 11 radio stations, based on a decree issued on July 25 under the state of emergency, giving the government the authority to close any media outlet on "national security" grounds.

All of the stations ordered closed are critical and independent news outlets, and, although varied in terms of political leanings and stance, represent left-wing ideas in a broad sense.

On Sept. 30, the authorities ordered the closure of İMC TV, press reports have said. 

The television stations shut down were İMC TV, Hayat TV, Özgür Gün TV, Van TV, Van Genç TV, TV 10, Jiyan TV, Azadi TV, Zarok TV, Denge TV, Mezopotamya TV and Birlik Medya TV.The radio stations shut down included Rengin Radyo, Özgür Radyo, Ses Radyo, Radyo Karacadağ, Özgür Güneş, Yön Radyo, Patnos FM and Dünya Radyo.

Also on Sept. 30, the websites of İMC TV, Hayatın Sesi and Özgür Radyo were blocked by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority.

Recent detentions under State of Emergency

On October 1, prize winning writer Murat Özyaşar, whose teaching post in a high-school was recently suspended, was detained in a dawn raid on his Istanbul home by Diyarbakır police. Özyaşar was taken to Diyarbakır where he will be kept in custody for the next five days with no access to a lawyer. Kurdish poet and writer Rênas Jiyan, another Diyarbakır teacher who was suspended under the same cabinet decree as Özyaşar, was also detained. Both writers were taken to Diyarbakır Police Station. 

Four teachers were put under arrest in the same operation. Jiyan, Özyaşar and the four teachers are members of the teachers’ union Eğitim-Sen. The four teachers put under arrest were accused of “membership in a terrorist organization” because of their membership in the union. 

On October 1, President of Fırat Basın, the company which owns Radyo Karacadağ, which was shut down on Sept. 30, was detained by police.

On Sept. 28, Evrensel reporters Eren Ergine and Cumali Kaya were detained by security forces while reporting on a news story. The two journalists were released after three hours in custody. 

Coup investigation

Ramazan Alkan, a reporter for the pro-government and Islamist Yeni Akit daily, was put under arrest as part of the investigation into the July 15 coup attempt on the grounds that he had downloaded an app named “ByLock”, which Turkish authorities say was used by the Gülen Community’s members to communicate. 

More access bans

The Twitter account of RedHack, a dissident Turkish hacker group, was suspended after the group announced it had hacked into the email account of Berat Albayrak, Turkey’s Minister of Energy and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law. Authorities have also blocked access to news reports on the content of the emails leaked posted by Diken.

In a recent development, a ruling issued on July 31 by the Ankara-based Gölbaşı Criminal Judicature of Peace, blocking access to 31 Twitter accounts and websites, was shared on social media. A large number of Twitter accounts in Turkey have been suspended after declaration of State of Emergency. 

Court cases and objections 

Hüseyin Aykol, a former editor-in-chief of the shuttered Özgür Gündem daily — also shut down under State of Emergency — appeared before an Ankara court over some news reports published in Özgür Gündem. Aykol stands accused of “inciting [the public] to commit a crime”.

In the trial, Aykol protested his innocence, saying as he resides in Ankara, he wasn’t shown the final versions of the newspaper before it went to print. 

On Sept. 20, lawyers for Aslı Erdoğan, a novelist who was on the board of advisors of Özgür Gündem who has been under arrest since Aug. 19, filed an objection to the court ruling that decided her arrest. The 4th Criminal Judicature of Peace which rejected the objection didn’t cite any reason for its decision in its ruling. 

Another objection was filed against the arrest of writers Ahmet and Mehmet Altan, who were put under arrest on Sept. 22 and 23. The court has yet to issue a final decision regarding the objection. 

Journalist Arzu Demir, who is facing up to two years in prison on charges of “making propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization” for her book on the female of militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) testified to the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court. The book was banned on March 15, 2016. Demir is a reporter for Etkin News Agency and Fırat News Agency (ANF). 

Foreign journalists

On Sept. 25, Joost Lagendijk, the former co-chair of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee and Today’s Zaman columnist, was denied entry to Turkey after his flight from the Netherlands landed at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

Lagendijk said he hoped the decision was not a move to “block me forever,” and that he was told he could enter with a “special visa.”

 

The Dutch politician, who resides in Istanbul, later tweeted that he was working on getting the “special visa” he was told he needs for reentry. 

Number of journalists in prison: 125

Following the arrest of one Yeni Akit reporter and updates P24 has made to its own list after consulting with international and domestic journalism organizations keeping track of journalist arrests and detentions, the number of journalists, newspaper owners, owners to newspaper rights and newspaper employees currently under arrest has reached 125. This number does not include those journalists who are being kept in police custody. However, it does include 18 journalists who are serving prison sentences after being convicted for their writings. All of them were arrested before the coup attempt. 

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 Alparslan Akkuş,Former NTV news editor, Released

Abdullah Katırcıoğlu, Under arrest

Abdullah Kılıç, Meydan columnist, Under arrest

Abdullah Özyurt, local Adana journalists, Under arrest

Adil Gülçek, Former Cihan Medya director Ahmet Altan, Under arrest

Ahmet Dönmez, Former Zaman reporter, Left the country according to AA

Ahmet Memiş, Newsdar, Under arrest

Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Cihan Medya President, Under arrest

Ahmet Turan Alkan, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Ahmet Yavaş, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest

Alaattin Güner, Former Cihan Medya director, Under arrest

Alaattin Kaya, formerly owner to Zaman’s rights, Under arrest

Ali Akbulut, formerly owner to Zaman’s rights

Ali Akkuş, Former Zaman general publications editor, Under arrest

Ali Bulaç, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Ali Ünal, former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Ali Yurttagül, former Zaman columnist Arda Akın, Hürriyet reporter, Released on probation

Arzu Yıldız, Haberdar Ankara Bureau Chief

Ayhan Şimşek , Released on probation

Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak, Yarına Bakış, Under arrest Ayşe Özkalay, former Yeni Hayat columnist

Ayşenur Parıldak, Zaman, Under arrest

Aytekin Gezici, Under arrest Asım Yıldırım, former STV anchor Atilla Taş, Meydan columnist, Under arrest

Aziz İstegün, Former Zaman Diyarbakır regional representative, Under arrest

Bayram Kaya, Zaman, Yeni Hayat reporter, Under arrest

Behçet Akyar

Bertan Golali, TRT İstanbul, Under arrest

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 Can Bahadır Yüce, former Zaman columnist Celil Sağır,Today's Zaman managing editor

Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Under arrest

Cevheri Güven, Nokta Magazine Editor-in-chief

Cihan Acar, Former Bugün reporter,

Cihat Ünal, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Cuma Kaya, Under arrest

Cuma Ulus, Former Millet publications coordinator, Under arrest

Cumali Önal, Former Zaman Arabic service editor, Under arrest

Dinçer Gökçe,Hürriyet internet editor, Released on probation

Eda Şanlı, owner of local Antalya newspaper, Bizim Antalya columnist, Under arrest

Emre Koçali, Newsdar, Under arrest

Emre Soncan, Former Zaman defense reporter, Under arrest

Ercan Gün, Fox TV News Editor, Under arrest

Erdal Şen, Meydan Editor, Under arrest

Ergun Babahan, Left the country according to AA Erhan Başyurt, former Bugün editor-in-chief

Erkan Akkuş, Former Bugün TV anchor

Erkan Büyük, Newsdar, Under arrest

Ertuğrul Erbaş, Former Nokta Magazine editor Eyüp Can Sağlık, former Radikal GYY, former Hürriyet digital press coordinator

Faruk Akkan, Cihan Ajansı, Under arrest Faruk Arslan, former Zaman columnist

Faruk Kardıç

Fatih Akalan, Samanyolu News Tv commentator, Left the country according to AA

Fatih Yağmur, Former Radikal reporter, Left the country according to AA

Fevzi Yazıcı, Under arrest Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türk Solu columnist, Under arrest

Gültekin Avcı, Bugün, Under arrest

Habip Güler, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Hakan Bülent Yardımcı, Released with internationa travel ben

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 Hasan Cücük, former Zaman reporter

Haşim Söylemez, Former Aksiyon Magazine columnist, Under arrest

Hilmi Yavuz, Former Zaman columnist, Let go due to health condition, will testify later

Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter, Under arrest

Hüseyin Döğme

Hüseyin Turan, Feza Group partner, Under arrest

İbrahim Balta, Former Zaman finance editor, Under arrest

İbrahim Karayeğen, Eski Zaman newsroom editor, Under arrest İbrahim Öztürk, former Zaman columnist

İhsan Duran Dağı, Former Zaman columnist, Released by prosecutor

İhsan Yılmaz, former Today's Zaman columnist

İsa Siyi, Haberdar, Under arrest

İskender Yunus Tiryaki,Bugün reporter, Under arrest

Kamil Maman, Former Bugün reporter, Left the country according to AA Kemal Gülen, STV anchor

Kenan Baş, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest  Kerim Balcı, Turkish Review magazine editor-in-chief

Kerim Gün, Former Zaman editor

Lalezar Sarıibrahimoğlu (Lale Kemal), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Levent Arap,Postmedya.com website administrator, Released on probation

Levent Kenez, Meydan Editor-in-chief

Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet, Under arrest Mahmut Akpınar, former Millet columnist

Mahmut Hazar, Cihan News Ajansı, Left the country according to AA

Mehmet Akif Afşar Mehmet Altan, Under arrest

Mehmet Gündem, Former Milliyet columnist, Released by the court

Mehmet Kamış, Former Zaman columnist

Mehmet Kuru, Former Zaman Eskişehir reporter, Under arrest

Mehmet Özdemir, Under arrest

Melih Kılıç, Zaman Medya Group sales department executive

Metin Tamer Gökçeoğlu

Metin Yıkar, Samanyolu News

Muhammed Fatih Uğur, Former Zaman news manager

Murat Aksoy,Yarına Bakış columnist, Under arrest

Murat Avcıoğlu, Under arrest Murat Öztürk, Çorum Manşet, Under arrest

Mustafa Erkan Acar, Cihan News Ajansı, Under arrest

Mustafa Ünal, Under arrest Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet newsroom coordinator, Under arrest

Mümtaz'er Türköne, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Mürsel Genç, Former Cihan reporter

Nevzat Güner

Nuri Durna, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest

Nuriye Ural (Akman), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Nurullah Kaya, Former Zaman Gaziantep bureau chief, Under arrest

Nurullah Öztürk,Yeni Şafak former Genel Koordinatörü ve Zaman columnist, Released

Oktay Vızvız

Olgun Matur, Antalya Yerel, Under arrest

Osman Nuri Arslan, FİA Şirketi Ortağı, Released on probation

Osman Nuri Öztürk, Released on probation

Osman Özsoy, Left the country according to AA

Osman Yakut, Former Zaman Antalya Reporter, Under arrest

Ömer Karakaş

Ömer Şahin ,Meydan’s former Ankara bureau chief, Released Önder Deligöz, former Yeni Şafak reporter

Özcan Keser, TRT İstanbul, Under arrest

Özkan Mayda, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Rasih Yılmaz,Samanyoluhaber columnist, Released

Resul Cengiz, Former Zaman Denizli reporter, Under arrest

Rıfat Söylemez, Adana Günaydın, Released with international travel ban

Sait Sefa, Haberdar Savaş Genç, former TRT reporter and academic

Sedat Yetişkin

Selahattin Sevi, Former Zaman photography coordinator, Left the country according to AA Selçuk Gültaşlı, Zaman Brussels representative and Zaman columnist

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

Şemsettin Efe, Samanyolu News, Left the country according to AA

Şenol Kahraman

Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV, Under arrest

Taner Talaş, Adana local journalist, Released under electronic monitoring

Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya, Under arrest

Turan Görüryılmaz, Can Erzincan TV sunucusu, Left the country according to AA Turhan Bozkurt, former Zaman columnist

Ufuk Emin Köroğlu, Karşı Gazete reporter, Left the country according to AA

Ufuk Şanlı, Former Vatan columnist, Under arrest Vahit Yazgan, Former Zaman İzmir representative, Under arrest

Vedat Demir, Former Yarına Bakış columnist, Under arrest

Veysel Ayhan

Yakup Çetin, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Yakup Sağlam, Former Samanyolu reporter, Released on probation

Yakup Şimşek, Former Zaman marketing department director, Under arrest

Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest Yavuz Baydar, former Bugün columnist Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim.com owner, Under arrest Yonca Kaya Şahin, Rotahaber columnist

Yüksel Durgut

Yüksel Evsen, Adana local journalist, Released on probation

Zafer Özsoy, Under arrest

Zeki Önal, Not detained due to advanced age and illness.

Journalists detained under State of Emergency outside coup probe

Selami Aslan – DİHA, Released

Selman Keleş – DİHA, Under arrest

İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest

Mehmet Sıddık Damar – DİHA, Released

Esra Aydın – JİNHA, Released

Geylan Arslan – JİNHA, Released

Nizamettin Yılmaz – Azadiya Welat, Under arrest

İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest

Haydar Ergül – Demokratik Modernite, Under arrest

Hasan Akbaş – Evrensel, Released

Fırat Topal – Evrensel, Released

Serpil Berk – Evrensel, Released

Sertaç Kayar – Serbest Gazeteci, Released

Engin Eren – DİHA, Released on probation

Fatma Edemen – ETHA, Released

Davut Uçar– Özgür Gündem, Released

Doğan Güzel– Özgür Gündem, Released

Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released

Günay Aksoy – Özgür Gündem, Released

Kemal Bozkurt – Özgür Gündem, Released

Reyhan Hacıoğlu – Özgür Gündem, Released

Önder Elaldı – Özgür Gündem, Released

Ender Önder – Özgür Gündem, Released

Sinan Balık – Özgür Gündem, Released

Fırat Yeşilçınar – Özgür Gündem, Released

Özgür Paksoy – DİHA reporter, Released

Zeki Erden – Özgür Gündem, Released

Elif Aydoğmuş – Özgür Gündem, Released

Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released

Mesut Kaynar – DİHA, Released

Sevdiye Gürbüz – Özgür Gündem, Released

Amine Demirkıran – Özgür Gündem, Released

Bayram Balcı – Özgür Gündem, Released

Burcu Özkaya – Özgür Gündem, Released

Yılmaz Bozkurt –Press Office of Chamber of Medicine, Released

Gülfem Karataş – İMC TV, Released

Gökhan Çetin – İMC TV, Released

Hüseyin Gündüz – Doğu Yayınevi , Released

Halil Polat – Freelancer, Under arrest

Sabahattin Koyuncu – DİHA, Under arrest

Cemil Uğur – Evrensel, Under arrest

Yasemin Sayın– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest

Hayat Yılmaz– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest

Ahmet Kızılaya– Azadiya Welat, Released

Arap Turan– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Berxwedan Tulpar– Azadiya Welat, Released

Sürreya Dal– Azadiya Welat, Released

Zeynep İzgi– Azadiya Welat, In custody

İbrahim Bayram– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Engin Özelçi– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Ahmet Boltan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ceylan İpek– Azadiya Welat, Released

Mehmet Emin Kaya– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ziyan Karahan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Veysi Altın– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ercan Yeltaş– Azadiya Welat, Released

Azime Tarhan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Serdal Polat– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Cengiz Aslan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ferit Toprak– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Mehmet Hüseyin Şahin– Azadiya Welat, Released

Mehmet Aydın– Azadiya Welat, Released

Pusat Bulut– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Mehmet Emin Akgün – Azadiya Welat, Released

Mecrum Tokal, Azadiya Welat (Released to be detained again on the same day), In custody

Mehmet Ali Ertaş – 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

Şermin Soydan – DİHA 

Lindsey Snell – Freelancer

Aslı Erdoğan – Özgür Gündem

Metin Bekiroğlu – DİHA

İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem

Zana (Bilir) Kaya – Özgür Gündem 

Erdem Muhirci – DİHA

Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat

Necmiye Alpay – Özgür Gündem

Sabahattin Koyuncu – DİHA

Arap Turan – Azadiya Welat

Ferit Toprak – Azadiya Welat

Rabia Özkaya – Özgür Halk

Şirin Çoban – Azadiya Welat

İlker İlkan – Azadiya Welat

 

List of journalists arrested before State of Emergency 

Abdulkadir Turay, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat representative

Arafat Dayan, Demokratik Ulus former managing editor

Cebrail Parıltı, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) Derik reporter

Emin Demir, Freelancer

Erdal Süsem, Eylül Magazine Editor

Erol Zavar, Odak magazine’s owner

Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep representative

Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine

Hamit Dilbahar, Azadiya Welat columnist

Hatice Duman, owner of Atılım newspaper

Hidayet Karaca, President of Samanyolu Media

Kamuran Sunbat, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA)

Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya Editor-in-chief

Mazlum Dolan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist

Mikail Barut, Özgür Halk Magazine former Editor

Miktat Algül, Mezitli FM, General broadcast coordinator

Muhammed Doğru, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Mustafa Gök, Ekmek ve Adalet Magazine Ankara representative

Nedim Türfent, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim Temsilcisi

Özgür Amed (Ethem Çağır), Özgür Gündem columnist

Sami Tunca, Mücadele Birliği Magazine news editor

Serkan Aydemir, Bitlis Aktüel reporter

Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana

Şahabettin Demir, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Şerife Oruç, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Şermin Soydan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk Magazine Editor

Ziya Ataman, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) Intern

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, İMC TV, Hayat TV, Özgür Gün TV, Van TV, Van Genç TV, TV 10, Jiyan TV, Azadi TV, Zarok TV, Denge TV, Mezopotamya TV and Birlik Medya 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, Özgür Gündem.

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, Rengin Radyo, Özgür Radyo, Ses Radyo, Radyo Karacadağ, Özgür Güneş, Yön Radyo, Patnos FM and Dünya Radyo.

 

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