The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations call for an immediate end to the crackdown against media after documenting widespread attacks, detentions, and censorship measures against journalists following the formal charging of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu with corruption on March 23, 2025.
Mapping Media Freedom registered that the police violence has been targeted against at least 12 journalists. Most concerning was the brutal attack on journalist Tansel Can by seven police officers, which led to his hospitalization. Anadolu Agency reporter Hakan Akgün suffered a broken nose, while Reuters correspondent Dilara Şenkaya sustained forehead injuries from police violence.
The situation worsened on March 24 with detentions and home raids, during which police detained at least 11 journalists for covering the protests in Istanbul. The following day seven of them were charged with “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations.” All but one of the detainees were released on March 27 awaiting trial.
On March 26, BBC News correspondent Mark Lowen was taken from his hotel and detained for 17 hours before being forcibly deported, as “a threat to public order.”
On March 27, Evrensel correspondent Nisa Sude Demirel and ETHA News Agency correspondent Elif Bayburt were detained during an early morning police raid.
The broadcast regulator RTÜK quickly imposed maximum financial penalties on several TV channels on March 21, and threatened to revoke broadcast licenses from media outlets that do not rely solely on official statements. Following this warning, pro-government channels ceased their live coverage of the protests.
On March 27, RTÜK issued a 10-day broadcast suspension for SZC TV, along with programme restrictions and financial penalties for three other TV channels. RTÜK also threatened to block two YouTube channels—including one owned by journalist Fatih Altaylı—unless they obtained broadcasting licenses within 72 hours.
Turkey’s authorities have also implemented sweeping censorship measures, blocking over 700 social media accounts including several journalists and media outlets. For three days, following İmamoğlu’s initial arrest on March 19, the authorities had imposed severe bandwidth restrictions on social media including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Telegram, and Signal, in what appeared to be part of a premeditated plan to restrict public access to information.
The government is using multiple powers to stop independent media coverage of the growing political crisis. It is at these moments that journalism that serves the public and not the powerful, is at its most important and must be vigorously defended.
The MFRR consortium calls on Turkey’s authorities to immediately release all journalists, launch an independent investigation into police violence, lift all censorship measures, and ensure journalists can freely report without fear of reprisal.
Signed by:
- International Press Institute (IPI)
- European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
- European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
- Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
- ARTICLE 19 Europe
- Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
