The International Press Institute (IPI) continues its efforts to improve the transparency and accountability of institutions by investigating how the Freedom of Information (FoI) is implemented in Türkiye, as part of its ongoing project since April 2024.
IPI first published the results of a survey titled “Habits of Exercising the Right to Information” conducted in September 2024 with the participation of over 50 journalists, civil society organizations (CSOs), and lawyers. Subsequently, in November 2024, a kick-off report based on one-on-one in-depth interviews with journalists and NGO representatives who made FoI requests was published.
Afterwards, the IPI FoI Platform was established to assess how institutions respond to FoI requests submitted by journalists, CSOs, lawyers, academics, and activists. Through this platform, IPI works toward a more transparent and accountable governance by collecting and analyzing data on the responsiveness of public institutions.
As of June 2025, IPI also initiated a training series titled “Freedom of Information: A Powerful Tool for Transparency,” starting in Istanbul and continuing across different cities in Türkiye. These sessions equip journalists, CSOs, activists, and lawyers with practical strategies to exercise FoI effectively in their work. Training announcements can be followed on our website.
The first analysis report, published in July 2025, examined the first 100 requests recorded by users on the IPI FoI Platform. This report updates that assessment by analysing 290 requests recorded on the platform as of November 2025. It also identifies recurring issues informed by one-to-one interviews with users and provides an updated situation analysis with recommendations.