03 May 2025

Following a press freedom mission to Turkey in November 2024, there has been a sharp increase in journalist detentions, arrests, and police violence, particularly since the arrest of the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19, 2025.

Rising incidents against journalists since “agent of influence” bill discussions

Today, Turkey is witnessing its most severe crackdown on independent journalism since the failed coup of 2016. As media sought to report the fall-out following the formal charging of İmamoğlu, a systematic pattern of press freedom violations has emerged:

• At least 12 journalists have been physically attacked by police forces while covering protests
• More than 13 journalists have been arrested and face various charges
• BBC News correspondent Mark Lowen was detained and subsequently deported
• Over 700 social media accounts, including those of journalists and news organizations, were blocked
• Multiple TV channels received severe penalties from broadcast regulator RTÜK, including broadcast suspensions and fines

These developments reveal a systematic pattern of press censorship and intimidation. The authorities have implemented a comprehensive strategy to restrict the information flow through physical force, legal action, and digital restrictions.

We urge Turkish authorities to cease journalist harassment, investigate police violence, lift media platform restrictions, and respect press freedom standards.

These alarming developments confirm concerns raised during a joint international press freedom mission to Turkey in November 2024.

Joint press freedom mission examines judicial harassment and legislation

A joint mission by leading press freedom organizations – International Press Institute (IPI), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) – conducted a thorough assessment of Turkey’s press freedom situation in November 2024.

The mission paid particular attention to the controversial “agent of influence” bill, which would allow courts to increase prison sentences by 3-7 years for individuals deemed to have acted “against state interests” while “aligned with foreign organizations. The bill is an amendment to the espionage act and, with its vague terms, could effectively enable the courts to treat any journalist with international connections as a spy..

While acknowledging some positive Constitutional Court rulings, the mission highlighted severe ongoing challenges including persistent judicial harassment of journalists, ongoing violence against media workers, extensive online censorship, and discriminatory regulatory practices by the broadcast regulator RTÜK. The proposed “agent of influence” bill poses additional threats to journalists working with international organizations.

On World Press Freedom Day, we call on authorities to permanently withdraw the “agent of influence” bill, end judicial harassment and police violence against journalists, and reform RTÜK to ensure its political independence and protect broadcast journalism.

This statement was coordinated by IPI as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.