Turkish Court Orders Rearrest of Journalist One Day After Release

A Turkish court has ordered the rearrest of journalist Mehmet Yetim just one day after he was released from pretrial detention, in a case that has renewed criticism of Turkey’s treatment of journalists and the country’s controversial disinformation law.

According to the Stockholm Center for Freedom and the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, Yetim had been released on Sunday after spending a month in detention in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa. However, prosecutors appealed the decision shortly afterward, and a court in Siverek ordered his rearrest on Monday.

Yetim was initially detained on April 18 over allegations of “publicly disseminating misleading information” linked to a social media post concerning a knife attack at a school in Şanlıurfa. In his original post, the journalist reported that a parent had attacked a teacher with a knife and that a vice principal had also been injured. He later deleted the post and issued a correction after updated information emerged.

The case quickly attracted criticism from opposition politicians, journalist unions, and press freedom organizations, which argued that Turkish authorities increasingly use the country’s disinformation legislation to target members of the media. Rights advocates said the arrest reflected broader concerns about judicial pressure and restrictions on independent journalism in Turkey.

Turkey introduced Article 217/A of the penal code, commonly known as the “disinformation law,” in 2022. The legislation allows prison sentences of up to three years for spreading information that authorities consider false or misleading if it is believed to create public fear or threaten public order. Critics say the law has been applied broadly against journalists, activists, and government critics.

Press freedom groups have repeatedly warned about deteriorating conditions for independent media in Turkey. Monitoring organizations say dozens of journalists remain imprisoned, while international watchdogs continue to rank the country among the world’s lowest-performing states for media freedom.

The rearrest of Yetim has intensified concerns among journalists’ organizations, which argue that repeated detentions and prosecutions create a climate of intimidation for reporters covering public interest issues and sensitive local events across Turkey.

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Turkish court orders rearrest of journalist a day after release