Political Uproar in Jammu as Veteran Journalist’s House Is Razed, Raising Fears of Targeted Retaliation
November 28, 2025
Algeria’s History Wars Reach the Press
November 28, 2025
November 28, 2025 – Turkey –
A court in Istanbul has acquitted four journalists who had faced trial for covering mass protests earlier this year. This decision marks a significant moment for press freedom in Turkey.
The defendants include photographer Yasin Akgul from Agence France-Presse (AFP) and journalists Ali Onur Tosun (NOW Haber) and freelancers Bulent Kilic and Zeynep Kuray. They had been arrested in March during dawn raids amid a sweeping wave of demonstrations triggered by the detention of opposition political figures.
The charges against them centered on alleged violations of Turkey’s laws regulating public gatherings, essentially accusing them of participating in protests rather than reporting on them. However, when the case came before the court, the judge concluded that there was “no solid basis” to prove they had committed any offense.
International media, press-freedom advocates, and the journalists themselves hailed the verdict. AFP’s global news director criticized the prosecution, saying reporting from the streets should never be criminalized. The rights organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also described the case as unlawful, adding that the arrests appeared aimed at intimidating journalists and obstructing public access to information.
In a statement after the ruling, Akgul said he plans to resume his reporting work with renewed determination now that the trial is over.
This court decision arrives against a backdrop of mounting concerns over media freedom in Turkey, where journalists have repeatedly faced arrests, prosecutions, and threats simply for covering protests or political dissent.
Though the acquittal does not reverse the initial arrests, it stands as a strong legal affirmation of journalists’ right to cover public events — even contentious ones — without fear of criminal sanction.
Reference –
