International Press Institute (IPI) prepared a report on press freedom in Turkey and stated, “There is no progress in press freedom after the end of the State of Emergency.” The report was prepared following the high-rank official meetings held between an IPI board lead by IPI Executive Board Chairman Markus Spillmann and IPI Director Barbara Trionfi with journalists, foreign diplomats and country representatives, NGOs, parties of the opposition and representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Interior both in Ankara and in Istanbul.
Here are some of the identifications taking place in the report:
– Most arrested journalists in Turkey are imprisoned due to terror-related charges and prosecutors regularly present only the journalists’ critical articles and social media activities as ‘evidence’ for these charges. The rights of the journalists are being violated routinely during prosecutions.
– 95 percent of media institutions in the country is under government influence.
– 155 journalists are currently in prisons. 30 of them were arrested before the coup attempt and 125 were arrested after.
– The total imprisonment sentences issued following the coup attempt is 557 years and ten months as well as five life imprisonments.
– 226 journalists were detained and faced investigations. 101 of them were released, 50 were sentenced and 75 are still imprisoned.
You may find the full report on https://freeturkeyjournalists.ipi.media/no-progress-toward-media-freedom-in-turkey-ipi-report-finds/.
13.02.2019
diken.com.tr