A coalition of 10 press organizations, including the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), has condemned the increasing judicial pressure on journalists in Turkey, warning that press freedom and the public’s right to information are under severe threat.
"We have been closely observing with concern how judicial institutions are being used as tools of oppression to silence the press," the statement read. "Not only is the public's right to access news being taken away, but freedom of thought and expression is also being destroyed."
The statement pointed to recent legal actions against journalists for simply reporting the news. It highlighted that journalists Barış Pehlivan, Serhan Asker, and Seda Selek faced detention orders over an interview, while other reporters were subjected to investigations for covering a press conference. "The fact that such decisions are made over a single news report is a clear sign of the grave threat facing press freedom, which is constitutionally guaranteed in Turkey," the organizations stated.
The signatories stressed that the simultaneous detention of three journalists was not merely an isolated police operation but part of a broader wave of repression. "Today, journalists who fulfill their fundamental duty of questioning and investigating are constantly at risk of being investigated or detained. Just this month, 14 journalists have been arrested. This is not just a crisis for the press—it is a threat to all of society."
The statement also criticized political and judicial institutions for failing to uphold press freedom, arguing that instead of protecting free expression, they have become tools of intimidation. "For a democracy to function properly, journalists must be free. If they cannot work without fear, it is not just their loss—it is a loss for the entire public," the press organizations emphasized. "Journalism is about defending the public’s right to be informed. That is why we must collectively stand against these pressures and defend press freedom."
The statement warned that the erosion of press freedom in Turkey translates into a broader loss of fundamental rights for society. "Every detention, every silenced voice, means another piece of democracy is being destroyed."
Declaring that press freedom is a right that belongs to all, not just journalists, the organizations called for the immediate release of their detained colleagues.
"You cannot silence journalists. Journalism is not a crime!"
The statement was signed by:
- Press Council
- Association of Contemporary Journalists
- Association of Diplomacy Reporters
- DİSK Basın-İş (Journalists' Union of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey)
- Haber-Sen (News Union)
- Journalists' Association
- İzmir Journalists' Association
- Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)
- Parliamentary Reporters' Association
- Turkish Journalists’ Union (TGS)
