The arrest of investigative journalist Furkan Karabay for his reporting and social media posts was ‘the latest example of the increasing criminalisation of reporting on the judiciary’ in Turkey, six media advocacy groups have said in a joint statement.
Six leading Turkish and international media organisations have called on Turkish authorities to release Turkish investigative journalist Furkan Karabay from 10Haber media house who was arrested over his reporting and social media posts.
“Karabay’s arrest is the latest example of the increasing criminalisation of reporting on the judiciary. These actions against journalists who are simply fulfilling their duty to inform the public are not only a violation of the public’s right to access information but also a breach of freedom of expression and press freedom, which are protected under the constitution and international agreements,” the joint statement said.
The statement was signed by the Media and Law Studies Association, MLSA, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, ECPMF, International Press Institute, IPI, the Progressive Journalists Association, PJA Punto 24 Independent Journalism Platform, the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ and the Journalists’ Union of Turkey, TGS.
Karabay’s reporting and social media posts concerned a legal investigation into Ahmet Ozer, mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt District who was arrested and dismissed by the authorities for alleged ties to terror groups.
Karahay faces charges of “targeting a public official,” “insulting a public official,” and “publicly disseminating misleading information.” On November 9, he was arrested without being questioned by the prosecutor. The justification for his detention was “targeting individuals involved in the fight against terrorism”.
“Such arrests and judicial attacks have not been able to silence journalists in the past, and they will not succeed in doing so in the future. We call for the immediate release of Furkan Karabay, recognising that his detention is an unjust infringement on press freedom and freedom of expression,” the media organisations said.
Karabay had previously been detained for reporting on corruption and bribery allegations involving members of the judiciary, based on public court records from an open trial.
The joint statement recalled that journalists in Turkey who report on the judiciary or on related issues are increasingly being detained under the charge of “targeting individuals involved in the fight against terrorism”.
Turkey ranked in 158th place out of 180 countries in 2024 in the latest press freedom index issued by the watchdog organisation Reporters Without Borders, RSF. “With authoritarianism gaining ground in Turkey, media pluralism is being called into question. All possible means are used to undermine critics,” RSF wrote.