The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations call for an immediate end to the crackdown against media after documenting , detentions, and censorship measures against journalists following the formal charging of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem 陌mamo臒lu with corruption on March 23, 2025.
Mapping Media Freedom registered that the police violence has been against at least 12 journalists. Most concerning was the on journalist Tansel Can by seven police officers, which led to his hospitalization. Anadolu Agency reporter Hakan Akg眉n suffered a broken nose, while Reuters correspondent Dilara 艦enkaya sustained forehead injuries from police violence.
The situation worsened on March 24 with and home raids, during which police detained at least 11 journalists for covering the protests in Istanbul. The following day seven of them were with “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations.” All but one of the detainees were on March 27 awaiting trial.聽聽
On March 26, BBC News correspondent Mark Lowen was taken from his hotel and for 17 hours before being forcibly deported, as “a threat to public order.”
On March 28, Evrensel correspondent Nisa Sude Demirel and ETHA News Agency correspondent Elif Bayburt were during an early morning police raid.
The broadcast regulator RT脺K quickly maximum financial penalties on several TV channels on March 21, and to revoke broadcast licenses from media outlets that do not rely solely on official statements. Following this warning, pro-government channels their live coverage of the protests.聽
On March 27, RT脺K a 10-day broadcast suspension for SZC TV, along with programme restrictions and financial penalties for three other TV channels. RT脺K also threatened to block two YouTube channels鈥攊ncluding one owned by journalist Fatih Altayl谋鈥攗nless they obtained broadcasting licenses within 72 hours.
Turkey鈥檚 authorities have also implemented sweeping censorship measures, over 700 social media accounts including several journalists and media outlets. For three days, following 陌mamo臒lu鈥檚 initial arrest on March 19, the authorities had severe bandwidth restrictions on social media including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Telegram, and Signal, in what appeared to be part of a premeditated plan to restrict public access to information.
The government is using multiple powers to stop independent media coverage of the growing political crisis. It is at these moments that journalism that serves the public and not the powerful, is at its most important and must be vigorously defended.聽聽
The MFRR consortium calls on Turkey鈥檚 authorities to immediately release all journalists, launch an independent investigation into police violence, lift all censorship measures, and ensure journalists can freely report without fear of reprisal.
Signed by:
- International Press Institute (IPI)
- European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
- European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
- Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
- ARTICLE 19 Europe
- Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
This statement was produced by IPI as part of the , a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries, funded by the European Commission.