Turkish Disinformation Law Used Against 83 Journalists Since 2022, Data Reveals

In a troubling trend for press freedom, Turkish authorities have leveled “disinformation” charges against 83 journalists at least 114 times since implementing a controversial law in October 2022, according to data from independent journalism platform Veriler Ne Diyor? (What does my data say?).

The law, which criminalized “publicly spreading misleading information” under the Turkish Penal Code, has resulted in 54 investigations and 39 court cases against journalists. More concerning still, 11 journalists have been detained and 10 arrested specifically for their reporting activities.

These findings directly contradict claims made in February by Feti Yıldız, a senior lawmaker with the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) who helped shepherd the legislation through parliament. Yıldız had insisted the law “has no issue with news or journalists,” despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

While many investigations have concluded without formal charges—41 of 54 cases resulted in no further action—journalists continue to face significant legal pressure through alternative judicial controls. These include travel bans, mandatory police check-ins, house arrest, and ongoing reporting requirements.

Three journalists have received prison sentences under the law so far. Sinan Aygül was initially sentenced to 10 months in prison in 2023 over a social media post, though his conviction was later overturned on appeal. Yüsra Batıhan of the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya Agency faced a similar 10-month sentence for earthquake reporting, while commentator Sedef Kabaş, who operates a YouTube channel, received the same sentence for economic commentary.

Some journalists have become repeated targets. İsmail Arı of BirGün newspaper has faced disinformation charges six times and was arrested in March. Alican Uludağ, who reports for Deutsche Welle’s Turkish service, is currently imprisoned on separate charges while simultaneously facing multiple investigations under the disinformation law.

The data reveals that authorities have detained 11 journalists under this provision, typically releasing them under judicial supervision with various restrictions. One particularly unusual condition required a journalist to read and summarize books about press freedom.

Coverage of the devastating February 2023 earthquakes—one of Turkey’s deadliest recent disasters—triggered intensified use of the law. At least 14 journalists faced charges between February 2023 and January 2024 for their reporting from affected regions, particularly regarding allegations about aid distribution and access restrictions.

In a telling example of the law’s misapplication, one journalist was prosecuted for reporting prison unrest following the earthquake—information later confirmed by official documents presented during trial proceedings.

Excluding partial years in the dataset, authorities have charged approximately 29 journalists annually under this provision since its introduction. The pace shows no signs of slowing, with eight journalists already facing charges in the first quarter of 2026, including recent detentions related to both reporting and social media activity.

The systematic targeting of journalists reinforces long-standing concerns about press freedom in Turkey, which ranks a dismal 159th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2025 World Press Freedom Index.

Media rights advocates warn that the vague language of the law enables authorities to target legitimate journalism under the guise of fighting disinformation, creating a chilling effect on critical reporting and further eroding Turkey’s already compromised media environment.