Turkey: MFRR partners call for an end to crackdown on journalists covering political protests
The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partner organisations call for an immediate end to the crackdown against media after documenting widespread attacks, detentions, and censorship measures against journalists following the formal charging of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu with corruption on March 23, 2025. Mapping Media Freedom registered that the police violence has been targeted against […]
IPI condemns police brutality and detentions of journalists reporting widespread protests
The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the widespread attacks against journalists —including physical violence, mass detentions, and sweeping digital censorship measures— following the formal charging of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu with corruption on March 23. These actions represent one of the most severe crackdowns in Turkey since the Gezi Park protests in 2013. IPI […]
IPI condemns social media restrictions following Istanbul mayor’s detention
The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the restriction of access to social media taken by Turkey’s authorities in the days after the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and 105 others on March 19. The authorities imposed immediate bandwidth throttling on major social media platforms and messaging apps, including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, […]
Turkey: Google’s Algorithm Changes Threaten Independent Media
The International Press Institute (IPI) is deeply concerned over the announcement of Turkey’s independent news outlet, Gazete Duvar, of its decision to cease operations due to severe financial challenges worsened by Google’s recent algorithm changes. IPI urges Google to immediately reverse the algorithm changes which threaten the survival of Turkey’s independent media. Gazete Duvar, one […]
IPI joins MLSA and other orgs to call for release of detained journalists
As press freedom and human rights organizations, we strongly condemn the detention of four journalists on February 18, 2025, and demand their immediate release. On the morning of February 18, during an operation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office targeting the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), several artists and politicians were taken into custody alongside journalists […]
IPI and partner organizations call for action as press freedom violations surge in Turkey in 2025
The International Press Institute (IPI), together with undersigned press freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organizations, and media outlets, expresses serious concern over the recent escalation of press freedom violations in Turkey, marking a troubling start to the new year. The frequent use of arbitrary arrests, detentions, judicial control measures, and convictions poses an […]
IPI condemns media coverage restrictions following Bolu hotel fire
The International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the Turkish authorities’ media coverage restrictions following the devastating hotel fire in Bolu, which erupted in the early morning hours of January 20, 2025, claiming at least 79 lives. The next day, Turkey’s broadcast regulator issued comprehensive directives that significantly limited the ability of the media to cover the tragedy. It is crucial that media organizations […]
IPI announces Scott Griffen as new executive director
The International Press Institute (IPI) today announced Scott Griffen as its new executive director. Griffen has been the organization’s interim director since June 2024. Griffen’s appointment comes at an increasingly perilous time for press freedom and independent journalism worldwide, IPI Executive Board Chair Márton Gergely said. “As we start the year 2025, IPI’s work has […]
Turkey: Journalist Nevşin Mengü faces judicial harassment and online smear campaign over interview
On December 13, prominent independent journalist and IPI Turkey National Committee member Nevşin Mengü published an interview on her YouTube channel with Salih Müslim, an executive of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Syrian Kurdish group that Turkey designates as a “terrorist organization.” Shortly after the interview was uploaded, Mengü announced on her social media […]
Joint letter to European Commission President: EU should oppose Türkiye’s “agent of influence” bill
Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission CC: Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission CC: Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement CC: Thomas Ossowski, EU Ambassador to Türkiye Open Letter to the European CommissionRe: Urgent Need for EU Action to Oppose […]
