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November 06, 2025 – Turkey –
Six prominent Turkish journalists have been summoned by police in Istanbul under an investigation tied to the jailed opposition-led mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu. Prosecutors allege that the reporters publicly “disseminated false information” and aided what they describe as the “İmamoğlu criminal organisation for profit.” The journalists named by the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office are Soner Yalçın, Şaban Sevinç, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Ruşen Çakır, Yavuz Oğhan, and Batuhan Çolak.
According to the Turkish Minute, some of the journalists were taken from their homes early in the morning and brought to the Istanbul Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit for questioning. Police also confiscated mobile phones belonging to at least two of the journalists. Although they were summoned as suspects, the prosecutor’s statement said it was unclear whether formal charges would be filed.
Opposition voices suggest the move amounts to intimidation of the independent press and a crackdown on media covering political rivals. The deputy chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) described the morning raids and confiscations as a “witch hunt” designed to silence both critics and the opposition. The underlying case against İmamoğlu originated in March 2025 when he and several municipal officials were arrested on corruption charges, sparking widespread protests and accusations of politically motivated legal action.
Press-freedom analysts view these proceedings as reflecting a broader pattern of pressure on media in Türkiye. The direct summons of journalists reporting on sensitive political cases reinforces concerns about the shrinking space for dissenting voices, especially when courts and prosecutors bring criminal investigations against reporters. Even without formal charges, the possibility of punitive action has a chilling effect on critical coverage.
Unless the probe into the journalists is handled with transparency and full due process, their case may mark yet another step toward more aggressive control of journalistic activity in Türkiye’s increasingly fraught media environment.
Reference –
Journalists ordered to provide statements to police over coverage of jailed İstanbul mayor
