IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet

Turkey’s Council of State has concluded that the Presidency’s Communications Directorate is not authorised to decide who will be given a press card or under what circumstances the press card is to be cancelled.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in 2019 that Turkey should release civil society leader Osman Kavala. Infringement proceedings were initiated due to Turkey’s failure to abide by the ECtHR decision.

Yalçın was convicted of “aiding an illegal organization” and “propagandizing for a terrorist organization.” She was indicted as part of an investigation into the Rosa Women’s Association.

The Human Rights Foundation of Turkey’s report on free expression violations during 2015-2019 notes a sharp increase in the number of charges of “insulting the president” after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s election in 2014.

According to a BİA Media Monitoring Report, 205 journalists also stood trial during July to September; 17 members of the press and cartoonists were put on trial for ‘insulting the president’.

Değer is facing charges of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility or humiliation”. Her social media posts – including statements such as “I am Kurd too” and “Kurds are being massacred in Konya” – are being used as evidence against her.

Stage actor Genco Erkal faces up to 4 years and 8 months in prison for “insulting the president” for tweets about the presidential system and referring to allegations that Erdoğan did not graduate from university.

According to reports in Turkish media, the government plans to introduce prison sentences of one to five years for publishing and spreading fake news on social media. It will also establish a regulatory body called the “Presidency of Social Media”.