JournalismPakistan.com | Published June 26, 2024
Join our WhatsApp channelISTANBUL—Journalist Sezgin Kartal has been acquitted of charges of "terrorist organization membership" due to insufficient evidence, and his travel ban has been lifted. Kartal had been detained for 160 days under these allegations.
Arrested on January 10, International Working Journalists Day, Kartal was detained three days later and faced his sixth hearing at the Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court. While Kartal did not attend the hearing, his lawyers, Oya Meric Eyuboglu and Berfin Karasah, were present. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Turkey representative Ozgur Ogret also monitored the proceedings.
Sezgin Kartal, a reporter for Karsı Mahalle, had been arrested on charges of "terrorist organization membership." He was released at the second hearing on June 22.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has welcomed the Istanbul court's acquittal. "We are pleased with the acquittal of journalist Sezgin Kartal, but let us not forget that the case against him was built on next to no evidence and should not have existed in the first place, let alone cost the journalist five months of his life in jail," said Ozgur Ogret, CPJ's Turkey representative. "Authorities should not appeal the acquittal and ensure that members of the media are not prosecuted or so easily imprisoned without concrete evidence of wrongdoing."
Photo: Pir News Agency
February 14, 2025: Justice remains elusive 16 years after the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, as Sri Lanka’s Attorney General orders the release of three key suspects. Journalist organizations strongly condemn the move, calling for urgent action to end impunity for crimes against the media.
February 05, 2025: The Committee to Protect Journalists urges the Indian government to stop targeting independent journalism after revoking the nonprofit and tax-exempt statuses of The Reporters’ Collective and The File. Learn how this impacts investigative reporting and media freedom in India.
February 03, 2025: Cambodian journalists Duong Akhara and Lay Socheat have been detained on incitement charges after publishing a video allegedly showing torture in a cyberscam center. Press freedom advocates call for their immediate release.
February 02, 2025: A Taliban court in Kabul has sentenced Sayed Rahim Saeedi, editor of ANAR Media, to three years in prison on charges of disseminating anti-Taliban propaganda. Press freedom continues to face severe threats in Afghanistan.
January 23, 2025: CPJ exposes Pakistan's dangerous deportation of Afghan journalists fleeing Taliban persecution, highlighting critical human rights violations and press freedom challenges. #JournalistSafety
December 23, 2024: Indian journalist Anand Mangnale faces an online smear campaign initiated by BJP's Nishikant Dubey. Allegations against him include foreign funding ties and misleading reports. CPJ condemns the attack on press freedom.
December 22, 2024: Learn how Malaysian journalists drew lessons from Indonesia’s innovative media practices during the IFJ Malaysia-Indonesia Solidarity Mission, emphasizing the need for progressive media reform and sustainability.
December 05, 2024: Over 50 journalists protested in Kuala Lumpur against proposed amendments to the Printing Presses and Publications Act, which threaten press freedom. IFJ and NUJM urge the government to withdraw the bill and engage in stakeholder consultation.
February 11, 2025 The PFUJ has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to suspend the PECA Amendment Act, arguing that the law curtails press freedom and contains contradictory provisions. The court has issued a notice to the Attorney General for assistance.
February 09, 2025 Hum News Network becomes the first Pakistani channel to embrace AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, enhancing productivity and innovation. Discover how this visionary move sets new standards in media.
February 09, 2025 The Dart Center Ochberg Fellowship 2025 is open for applications! This prestigious program at Columbia University offers journalists an intensive seminar on trauma reporting, media ethics, and responsible journalism. Apply by March 3, 2025.
February 08, 2025 As Pakistan faces an economic crisis, the government splurges taxpayers' money on full-page ads and press releases to glorify its achievements. Critics call it a wasteful PR stunt. Read how public funds are being misused for political propaganda.
February 07, 2025 Mozambican journalist Albino Sibia was killed while filming police brutality, and reporter Pedro Junior was shot covering his funeral. Arlindo Chissale remains missing. These attacks highlight the dire state of press freedom in Mozambique amid post-election unrest.