JournalismPakistan.com | Published April 22, 2017
Join our WhatsApp channel
NEW YORK - The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Turkish authorities to stop jailing journalists and suppressing dissent in the wake of a referendum to change Turkey’s system of governance from parliamentary to presidential.
In the past week, police arrested at least three journalists and raided the newsroom of leftist website Sendika for reporting on protests over alleged irregularities in the referendum.
“The crackdown on press freedom in Turkey has devastated the country’s once-vibrant media landscape,” said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova. “If Turkish authorities want citizens to accept the referendum results they must allow critical voices to speak freely, without fear of retaliation. We call on officials in Ankara to turn a new leaf in media policies and embrace an independent press.”
Police raided the newsroom of Sendika and arrested its news editor, Ali Ergun Demirhan, the website reported. Demirhan tweeted details of the raid and his arrest. A translation of his post read, “Our office was raided at 5:50 [a.m]. I am being detained on the accusation of ‘making the yes [referendum vote] seem illegitimate.’” Police arrested Demirhan for inciting people to hatred, being hostile to a public officer, and insult for allegedly trying to present the referendum result as illegitimate, Sendika reported. The report added that police confiscated a computer hard drive and cell phone.
Istanbul police also arrested Murat Bay, a reporter for Sendika, on his way back from covering protests on April 17, according to the news website Evrensel. Bay was detained in relation to reports on the protests and for allegedly providing details of rallies in advance.
Also on April 17, police in the western city of Izmir detained Kazım Kızıl, a photojournalist for the website Kamera Sokak, who was covering a protest against alleged irregularities in the constitutional referendum, according to Demokrat Haber and Ben Gazeteciyim, a volunteer association of Turkish journalists formed to show solidarity with their threatened colleagues.
The raid and arrests are a continuation of Turkey’s crackdown on independent reporting. Separately this week, Istanbul’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office charged six journalists under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which prohibits insults to Turkish identity, over their reporting of Turkish military actions in predominantly ethnic-Kurdish cities in southeastern Turkey, according to Evrensel. The journalists are Selman Keleş, Özgür Paksoy, Kenan Kırkaya, and Aziz Oruç, from the shuttered pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency ( DİHA); Ersin Çaksu, editor of the pro-Kurdish daily Özgürlükçü Demokrasi; and İhsak Yasul, news editor of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi. - Committee to Protect Journalists
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.