JournalismPakistan.com | Published June 26, 2024
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISTANBUL—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
April 01, 2025: Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025: Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 27, 2025: Several journalists were attacked and forced to delete footage while covering anti-military protests in Indonesia. CPJ urges authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable.
March 23, 2025: The severed pig’s head sent to Indonesia’s leading news outlet, Tempo, signals escalating media intimidation amid President Prabowo Subianto’s attacks on foreign-funded media.
March 14, 2025: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urges Maharashtra authorities to ensure their AI-driven media monitoring plan does not undermine press freedom. The initiative, which classifies news as positive or negative, raises concerns over government overreach and self-censorship.
March 11, 2025: Indian journalist and RTI activist Raghvendra Bajpai was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh on March 8 in a targeted attack. Media organizations, including IFJ, NUJ-I, and IJU, demand justice and an urgent investigation into his murder.
March 06, 2025: The arrest of Malaysiakini journalist B. Nantha Kumar by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has raised concerns over press freedom. The IFJ and NUJM call for a transparent investigation amid allegations of bribery and ongoing state harassment of independent media.
February 28, 2025: The Dewan Rakyat passed the Malaysian Media Council Bill on February 26, marking a historic step toward independent media regulation. Supported by journalists, unions, and media bodies, the council aims to set ethical standards, improve working conditions, and reform restrictive laws. The NUJM and IFJ celebrate this milestone while urging independence and adequate resourcing for the council.
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.
April 23, 2025 Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.
April 22, 2025 Once a beacon of hope for Pakistan's cricket revival, the Pakistan Super League now grapples with stagnation and moral compromises. Can this cultural symbol reclaim its lost soul?
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 21, 2025 After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.