The International Press Institute (IPI) continues its Freedom of Information (FOI) training series in Istanbul.
Titled “Freedom of Information: A Powerful Tool for Transparency,” this training will explore how journalists can place FOI requests at the center of their reporting and transform official responses into concrete outputs for investigative journalism.
These trainings also mark the first step toward a copyright-supported mentoring program set to launch in 2026. The program will enable journalists to work one-on-one on their own stories, focusing on the effective use of FOI requests in news production.
Within the scope of the program, selected journalists will integrate FOI requests directly into their reporting processes with the support of mentors. Copyright fees will be provided for the stories produced, with the aim of supporting their publication.
For this reason, the training goes beyond a basic introduction and serves as a strategic starting point for journalists who want to actively use FOI in their reporting and be considered for the upcoming mentoring program.
📅 Date: February 7, 2026 I Saturday
⏰ Time: 10:30 GMT+3
📍Location: TGS Akademi (Merkez Mah, Halaskargazi Cad. No:226 Kat :5 D:10 Çifkurt Apartmanı Şişli/İstanbul)
🇹🇷Language: Turkish
Key topics to be covered include:
📌 What is Freedom of Information (FOI) and why does it matter for journalists?
📝 How to prepare effective and result-oriented FOI requests
💡 How to use FOI responses in news reporting and research
⚖️ How FOI requests contribute to transparency and accountability
🔍 Legal options in cases of denied or unanswered requests
Our experienced trainers, journalist Elif İnce and CSO representative Ahmet Kavruk, will address these topics and share practical examples of effective information rights usage.
After Istanbul, the training series will continue across various cities in Turkey throughout the coming months. Stay tuned!