At least 14 journalists have been detained, eight arrested, and seven later released during a wave of police action following protests sparked by the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19. One foreign journalist has been deported, and another has been jailed in connection with a separate investigation, while multiple reporters have reported being assaulted or injured while covering the demonstrations.
Among those affected is Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, who was arrested by a Criminal Judgeship of Peace in Ankara on March 27 after arriving in Turkey to cover the events. Authorities said his detention was related to an ongoing investigation into his past reporting. Meanwhile, BBC correspondent Mark Lowen was deported after Turkish authorities claimed he had engaged in reporting without proper accreditation.
The Turkish Communications Directorate announced that Lowen had been expelled “for engaging in journalistic activities without an accreditation application.” Medin, a correspondent for the Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC, was represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), whose lawyers visited him in prison and confirmed his condition is stable.
From release to arrest to release again
The clampdown began with the detention of several journalists on March 24. Seven reporters, including photojournalist Bülent Kılıç, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) photographer Kurtuluş Arı, AFP photographer Yasin Akgül, NOW TV reporter Ali Onur Tosun, freelance journalist Zeynep Kuray, Istanbul-based reporter Hayri Tunç, and Bakırköy Municipality photographer Gökhan Kam, were taken into custody from their homes and arrested the following day.
Although they were initially released by the court on March 26, a prosecutor reversed the decision, and they were immediately re-detained and formally arrested. However, on the morning of March 27, a new ruling led to their release.
More detentions in Izmir and Istanbul
Additional journalists were detained in other parts of the country. In Izmir, BirGün columnist Barış İnce and local photojournalist Murat Kocabaş were detained on March 24 and released four days later. Other journalists, including Sendika.org reporter Zişan Gür, Evrensel correspondent Nisa Sude Demirel, and ETHA reporter Elif Baybyurt, were released under judicial control measures after being detained between March 23 and 27. Journalist and İzmir Journalists Association board member Yağız Barut was also detained in Izmir on March 24 but was released the same day.
At least 14 journalists report being assaulted
Alongside detentions and legal actions, journalists covering the protests faced significant physical violence. Between March 21 and 23, at least 14 journalists were reportedly assaulted or injured by plastic bullets in Istanbul.
On March 21 alone, those affected included Hakan Akgün from the state-run Anadolu Agency, AFP’s Yasin Akgül, Reuters reporter Dilara Şenkaya, Bianet reporter Ali Dinç, İlke TV’s Eylül Deniz Yaşar, freelance photojournalist Kemal Aslan, and freelance reporter Rojda Altıntaş. Yusuf Çelik from Özgür Gelecek also reported being assaulted that day.
On March 19, Serkan Okur of Akit TV was reportedly assaulted by protesters.
The violence continued on March 22, when Egemen İsar from Nefes Gazete and journalist Rıfat Kırcı were injured, and on March 23, freelance journalist Altan Sancar, independent reporter Tansel Can, and Sendika.org’s Zişan Gür were also reportedly assaulted or shot with plastic bullets.
The string of detentions and attacks has raised concerns among press freedom advocates, particularly as Turkey remains one of the world's leading jailers of journalists, according to international watchdogs such as Reporters Without Borders.
