CHP's Utku Çakırözer shares 'press freedom report'

The bleak picture regarding press and freedom of expression in Turkey is growing worse by the day. New instances of threats, attacks, investigations, detentions, and arrests against journalists due to their news reports, articles, and social media posts are being added daily.

In the Press Freedom Report for October and November, announced by CHP's journalist-turned-Eskişehir MP Utku Çakırözer, it was noted that judicial proceedings were initiated against 8 journalists under the 'publicly spreading misleading information' clause added to the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) by Parliament in 2022. While journalists appeared before judges 144 times in the last two months, RTÜK rained down fines on television channels that reported the truth. For the first time in the world, Microsoft blocked access to a site in Turkey. The access bans imposed on news reports detailing the bribery network at the Anadolu Courthouse, as well as the repeated blocking of news reports announcing these bans, were interpreted as an obstruction of the public's right to information. 

They appeared before judges 144 times

The notable violations in the two-month press freedom report shared with the public by CHP's journalist-turned-Eskişehir MP Utku Çakırözer are listed as follows: 

• Journalists appeared before judges 144 times during the 60 days covering October and November. 11 journalists, including Ayşenur Arslan and Serhan Asker, were detained. 2 journalists, including Tolga Şardan, were arrested.  
• 3 journalists covering the November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women march in Şırnak were detained. 
• Regarding Gerçek Gündem editor Furkan Karabay, due to his social media posts containing criticisms of access bans and release decisions made in exchange for money at the Anadolu Courthouse,  Two separate compensation lawsuits were filed by the President's son, Bilal Erdoğan, and Erdoğan's former lawyer, Mustafa Doğan İnal, demanding a total of 500,000 TL.

The censorship law is in effect...

* In the last two months, there has been a notable increase in investigations, detentions, and arrests of journalists based on Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, known as the 'censorship law,' which criminalizes 'publicly disseminating misleading information.'  Journalist Tolga Şardan, who wrote an article on T24 on October 31 titled 'What is in the judicial report presented by the MIT to the Presidency?', was detained and arrested on charges of 'publicly disseminating misleading information.' Şardan, who was released after 5 days in custody, is still facing trial. 

* Furthermore, citing Article 217/A, Halk TV reporter Dinçer Gökçe and Kısa Dalga writer Cengiz Erdinç were detained, while Bianet editor Evrim Kepenek was summoned to testify due to their news reports and social media posts. Investigations were also launched against journalists Uğur Şahin, İsmail Arı, Uğur Koç, and Zübeyde Sarı. 

No tolerance for news

• In Bursa, a local newspaper executive, Yaman Kaya, was subjected to an armed attack while driving his car. 
• Former Minister of Interior and AKP İstanbul Deputy Süleyman Soylu targeted journalists Saygı Öztürk, Tolga Şardan, Orhan Uğuroğlu, and 
• Cengiz Demirel due to their reporting.
• Journalist Murat Ağırel was threatened due to his reporting on irregularities in the football world.
• Journalist Alican Uludağ was threatened by two high-ranking MHP officials.
• Journalists Nevşin Mengü and İbrahim Haskoloğlu were targeted due to their comments regarding Israel's attacks on Palestine.

TV channels and websites are in RTÜK's crosshairs

• In October, RTÜK  imposed a 5-time program suspension and an administrative fine at the maximum limit on Halk TV due to Ayşenur Arslan's assessments in the 'Medya Mahallesi' program and criticisms directed at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism regarding the Golden Orange Film Festival in the 'Haber Masası' program. In November, it also applied a 3 percent administrative fine due to statements made by journalists in two different programs. 
• The channel Flash Haber TV was issued an administrative fine at the maximum limit and a 5-time program suspension due to statements made by journalists on the program 'Başkentte Gündem,' where MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's statements on Gaza were being discussed. 
• Tele 1 was issued three 3 percent administrative fines due to statements made by journalists Merdan Yanardağ and Emre Kongar on the program '18 Dakika'; Flash Haber was issued a 3 percent fine due to journalist Fatih Ertürk's assessments regarding retirement bonuses on the 'Başkentte Gündem' program; and KRT was issued two 3 percent administrative fines due to Zafer Arapkirli's assessments on the 'Medya Terapi' program regarding bridge and highway price hikes and the Fidan-Blinken handshake.
• The new domain names that DW Turkish began using in Turkey after being blocked last year were also blocked following a complaint by RTÜK and a court order.

A world first: Microsoft blocks access to T24

• A world first in terms of access bans occurred in November. The Microsoft company  blocked access to all content on T24 due to a report containing the response of Beşiktaş's interim manager Burak Yılmaz to allegations that he 'committed violence' against his wife. 
• The Constitutional Court, which once again issued a rights violation ruling regarding access bans, found an access ban imposed on Artı Gerçek to be contrary to freedom of expression and the press, and subsequently overturned it. 
• Access bans on news and content continued unabated over the last two months. According to data from the Freedom of Expression Association, access bans were imposed on reports regarding the 700 million TL loan Halkbank provided to a gang leader with Credit Guarantee Fund support; the article by BirGün columnist Timur Soykan titled "The Chief Prosecutor's cry of bribery: We are decaying," as well as reports on the access ban decisions imposed on that article; the announcement on Engelli Web titled "The deletion of reports on the deletion of reports on sanctions applied to news about the bribery cycle in the courthouse"; reports on Hezbollah staffing within the Ministry of National Education; reports regarding a worker burned in a fire at a factory in İskenderun; the article by T24 columnist Tolga Şardan titled "What is in the 'judiciary report' that the MIT presented to the Presidency?"; reports on the engagement of 8 and 9-year-old children in Mardin; and reports on who purchased land in the region where Kanal Istanbul will pass.