JournalismPakistan.com | Published 10 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ANKARA: Turkish authorities on Tuesday arrested two editors of a political weekly on charges of inciting an armed uprising against the government for suggesting on the magazine's front page that the aftermath of Turkey's election would mark the start of a civil war.
Nokta said on its website that editor-in-chief Cevher Guven and news editor Murat Capan were formally arrested, accused of attempts to bring down the government.
They become the latest journalists to be arrested as Turkey's government continues to crack down on media organizations and journalists critical of the government.
The two were detained for questioning on Monday after police acting on a court order confiscated copies of this week's issue.
The two journalists rejected the accusations during their questioning, Hurriyet Daily News reported. It said the two told interrogators that the front page cover was published before Sunday's election — which resulted in a victory for the ruling party — at a time when public opinion surveys indicated that a hung parliament would emerge leading to "chaotic" coalition efforts.
The offending article couldn't be located. Nokta's website was blocked in Turkey.
The weekly publication is critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling party, which he founded.
In September, police similarly seized copies of the magazine whose front page depicted Erdogan taking a selfie in front of coffins of soldiers killed in the conflict with Kurdish rebels. The move came after a court ruled that the front page insulted Erdogan.
Dozens of editors from leading international news organizations have written to Erdogan recently, expressing concern over deteriorating media freedoms in Turkey.
In August, authorities detained three journalists reporting for Vice News in Turkey's restive Kurdish southeast. One of them, Mohammed Rasool, is still in custody. Rasool, an Iraqi citizen, had worked as a news assistant for the AP and other organizations.
Recently, Hurriyet's headquarters was attacked following criticism of the newspaper by Erdogan. After the attacks, Hurriyet columnist Ahmet Hakan was chased and beaten.
Last week, police stormed the Istanbul headquarters of a media group belonging to Koza-Ipek Holding and took television broadcasts off the air after. A prosecutor had ordered the company placed under the management of a trustee during an investigation of its ties to Fetullah Gulen, a U.S.-based moderate Islamic cleric the government accuses of trying to destabilize the state. - AP
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.
October 30, 2025: NewsOne TV remains on air but faces mass layoffs and delayed salaries, exposing Pakistan’s worsening media crisis and financial instability.
October 28, 2025: Sindh Police arrested four suspects linked to a banned outfit in the murder of journalist Imtiaz Mir, who was shot in Karachi in September 2025.
October 26, 2025: Riffat Ara Alvi, the mother of slain Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, has died, ending her relentless fight for justice following his killing in Kenya in 2022.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2025 Mexican journalist Miguel Angel Beltran was found murdered in Durango. CPJ urges authorities to ensure justice amid rising violence against journalists in Mexico.
November 01, 2025 UNESCO survey finds one-third of media lawyers cannot effectively defend journalists due to threats, limited resources, and lack of specialization.
October 31, 2025 Radio Free Asia, a US government-funded broadcaster covering tightly controlled Asian media environments, has suspended all news operations after federal funding dried up.
October 30, 2025 PSL franchise fees lag far behind IPL's USD 18.5B valuation as Pakistan Cricket Board's bureaucratic grip stifles growth. Hard numbers expose a stark reality.