We are excited to announce the launch of our newest report, "In the Shadow of Two Palaces: Conversations with Exiled Journalists from Turkey and Russia”, supported by the Justice and Journalists Foundation (JFJ).
This crucial publication, authored by Istanbul-based journalist and Media and Law Studies (MLSA) co-director Evin Barış Altıntaş, who is also one of the founders of the Journalists and Lawyers for Human Rights (JAM e.V.) in Berlin features detailed narratives and interviews with 11 journalists who were forced to leave their homes in Turkey and Russia due to increasing pressures on free media.
These stories not only highlight the personal struggles and resilience of these journalists but also delve into the broader implications of such mass displacement on journalism and freedom of speech.
A failed coup attempt. A military invasion
The report also offers a glance into the recent political developments in the two countries, highlighting pivotal moments that contributed to the erosion of democracy and rule of law. The publication notes that the Russian Duma’s decision to criminalize the use of the word "war" in describing its invasion of Ukraine sparked the first significant exodus of journalists from the country2. Many found refuge in Istanbul, arriving without visas, any financial support, or a clear vision for their future where their paths crossed with that of the author and her organization MLSA.
Turkey's complex dynamics with freedom of the press and growing authoritarianism had already started a slower, steady exodus of journalists from Turkey to countries like Germany, where they sought more stable and secure environments for their work and personal lives. Some journalists who MLSA defended moved to Berlin long ago, many colleagues have had to leave over the years. This was one of the reasons that jump-started the establishment of JAM in Berlin.
This publication follows the stories of 11 journalists who had to leave Turkey and Russia after tumultuous events in those countries that led to an increase in the existing crackdown on free media. It seeks not just to highlight their struggles -- and resilience-- but also to offer a comprehensive look into the broader implications of such mass displacement on journalism and freedom of speech and hopefully say more on what others can do to help journalists in this situation.
