The Dicle-Firat Association of Journalists (Dicle Fırat Gazeteciler Derneği, DFG) has published its monthly report on repression against journalists in Turkey. The association protested against the arrests of journalists documenting events on the Greek-Turkish border.
Over 100 imprisoned journalists
The report states that more than 100 journalists are currently imprisoned in Turkey. Most recently, editor Alptekin Dursunoğlu from Yakın Doğu Haber and the editor-in-chief of Oda-TV Barış Terkoğlu and correspondent Hülya Kılınç were imprisoned for a report. The website of Oda TV was blocked.
DFG reported that dozens of journalists are currently on trial and are threatened with imprisonment; “Those in power should know that they cannot intimidate the people doing journalism in this way”.
There is censorship
The DFG also reports that after the heavy fighting in Idlib, the Internet was restricted and some social media channels were completely shut down. The Turkish Telekom contributed to the censorship by slowing down access to the Internet by order of the state.
DFG balance for February:
Journalists arrested: 12
Imprisoned journalists: 1
Attacks on journalists: 3
Journalists investigated: 2
Journalists sued: 1
Journalists given penalties: 6 (five were sentenced to long prison terms, one received a fine)
Journalists on ongoing trials: 15 proceedings against 71 journalists
Websites blocked: 1 (Jin News Agency)
Journalists behind bars: 111