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March 24, 2025 – Turkey –
Turkish police detained eight journalists in Istanbul as they covered protests sparked by the arrest of opposition mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The journalists, who were reporting on demonstrations in support of the imprisoned mayor, were taken into custody under charges that authorities have not publicly clarified. The incident comes amid a sweeping crackdown by the Turkish government, which has arrested more than 1,100 people nationwide since protests erupted.
The journalists worked for a range of media outlets, including Mezopotamya Agency and JINNEWS, both of which focus on Kurdish and human rights issues. According to press freedom groups, the journalists were doing their job when they were detained and are now being targeted for reporting on state-critical issues. The arrests occurred while protests intensified following the controversial sentencing of İmamoğlu, a leading figure in Turkey’s main opposition party, widely viewed as a political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
International observers and media watchdogs have condemned the arrests, calling them an attack on press freedom and an attempt to suppress dissenting voices. Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have urged Turkish authorities to release the journalists immediately and drop any charges related to their work.
Following public and international pressure, a Turkish court ordered the release of the detained journalists. However, their legal status remains uncertain, and observers fear that future prosecutions may follow under Turkey’s expansive anti-terror laws or press regulations.
The arrests are part of a broader pattern of repression in Turkey. The government has also requested the blocking of over 700 accounts on the platform X (formerly Twitter), further escalating concerns about the erosion of freedom of expression. These developments reflect an increasingly hostile environment for independent media and human rights defenders in Turkey, where journalists continue to face harassment, censorship, and arrest for their reporting.
The incident underscores the shrinking space for press freedom in Turkey and the risks faced by journalists covering politically sensitive topics in the country.
Reference –
https://balkaninsight.com/2025/03/24/turkish-police-detain-journalists-covering-opposition-protests/
