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International press freedom organizations have issued a scathing condemnation of Turkey’s growing use of controversial anti-disinformation legislation to silence journalists, highlighting a troubling pattern of media repression in a country already ranked among the world’s worst for press freedom.
In a joint statement released Tuesday, twenty-five press advocacy groups called for the immediate repeal of Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code and the release of all journalists currently detained under its provisions. The statement characterized the law as part of a “wider pattern of the weaponization of legislation to criminalize legitimate journalism” in Turkey.
The controversial law, enacted in October 2022, has been used to target at least 83 journalists across 114 separate cases, according to the coalition. Organizations signing the statement include prominent watchdogs such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the International Press Institute (IPI).
“A free and independent press is itself the most durable safeguard against the spread of false information. Criminalising journalism is neither a lawful nor an effective response to it,” the statement emphasized.
The groups highlighted several recent cases demonstrating what they describe as an escalating crackdown. In February, journalist Alican Uludağ was arrested on charges of spreading disinformation and insulting the president. March saw the detentions of Bilal Özcan for reporting on an influencer’s death and İsmail Arı for coverage of alleged financial mismanagement within public foundations.
The situation reportedly intensified in April when journalists Murat Ağırel and Barış Pehlivan received prison sentences for their commentary. During the same month, Zafer Arapkirli was convicted over social media posts about attacks in Syria, while Turgay Kılıç was detained for sharing information about school threats. Journalist Mehmet Yetim was placed in pretrial detention over a social media post.
Turkey’s media landscape has deteriorated significantly in recent years, with the country ranking 159th out of 180 nations in RSF’s 2025 World Press Freedom Index. According to Expression Interrupted, a monitoring group, 26 journalists are currently imprisoned in Turkey.
The disinformation law has drawn particular criticism from legal experts and human rights advocates since its introduction. Critics argue its vague wording creates a chilling effect on journalism by criminalizing the “dissemination of false information” without clearly defining what constitutes false information or providing adequate safeguards for legitimate reporting.
Turkey’s use of the law comes amid a broader global trend of governments implementing similar legislation, ostensibly to combat misinformation. However, press freedom advocates warn that such laws often serve as tools to suppress legitimate criticism and investigative reporting.
The Turkish government has defended the legislation as necessary to protect national security and prevent the spread of harmful false information. However, critics note that existing libel and defamation laws already provided legal remedies for genuinely false reporting causing harm.
The joint statement represents one of the most coordinated international responses to Turkey’s press freedom situation in recent years. Signatories include the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, the European Federation of Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists, PEN International, and several Turkish press organizations including the Progressive Journalists Association and the Journalists’ Union of Turkey.
The press freedom coalition is calling for Turkey to bring its media regulations in line with international standards and obligations to protect freedom of expression and press freedom.
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7 Comments
While combating the spread of disinformation is important, these laws appear to be overly broad and open to abuse. Journalists must be able to report freely without fear of persecution. I hope Turkey finds a better balance between addressing misinformation and protecting press rights.
Absolutely. Cracking down on the media is not an effective or appropriate way to tackle disinformation. Turkey should instead look to improve media literacy, strengthen fact-checking, and promote transparency.
This is a worrying trend that warrants close international scrutiny. A free press is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy, and these anti-disinformation laws seem to be eroding that principle in Turkey. I hope the global community pressures Turkey to reverse course on this issue.
Journalists must be able to report the news without fear of reprisal, even if their stories are critical of the government. These laws appear to be a thinly veiled attempt to silence dissent and criticism. Turkey should reconsider this approach and uphold its commitments to press freedom.
This is certainly concerning. Journalists play a crucial role in a free and open society, and any attempts to silence them through vague ‘disinformation’ laws are troubling. I hope Turkey reconsiders this policy and upholds press freedoms.
I agree, press freedom is essential for a healthy democracy. Turkey should focus on combating actual disinformation through transparent and accountable means, not by targeting journalists.
While the spread of disinformation is a real concern, these laws seem to be doing more harm than good by stifling legitimate journalism. Turkey should focus on constructive solutions that empower the public to identify false information, rather than cracking down on the press.