The latest media monitoring report of Bianet documented the convictions, arrests, and attacks targeting journalists during the second quarter of 2026.
This statement was originally published on bianet.org on 24 July 2026.
JUL 24 DAY FOR STRUGGLE FOR PRESS FREEDOM
Published for 25 years and running 54 pages in its latest quarterly edition, the BİA Media Monitoring Report highlights that journalists are being widely convicted due to the news stories and topics they bring to the public, allegedly due to the “risks” these efforts pose in the eyes of the government.
In the last three months, T24 columnist Tolga Şardan was convicted on charges of “insulting judicial organs” over his story on the “MİT judiciary report,” journalists Barış Pehlivan, Murat Ağırel, and Zafer Arapkirli for “publicly disseminating misleading information (disinformation),” Timur Soykan for “violating confidentiality of an investigation,” and journalist Erdoğan Alayumat for “making propaganda for a terrorist organization.”
The report indicates that continuous arrests of journalists continued in the second quarter of 2026, with cases involving DW Türkçe reporter Alican Uludağ, Aydınpost editor-in-chief Yelis Ayaz, and BirGün newspaper’s İsmail Arı, along with Kaos GL news site editor-in-chief Yıldız Tar, who was jailed under the pretext of the NATO Summit.
Total of 7 years and 6 months in prison for six journalists in three months
In the past three months, during which dozens of journalists were put on trial, prosecutions were carried out and trials concluded against at least 12 of them on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information,” “insulting state institutions,” “insulting religious values,” “violating confidentiality,” “making organization propaganda,” or “membership in an organization.” While some of the journalists were acquitted, six were sentenced to a total of 7 years and 6 months in prison (1 year and 6 months suspended) as a result of the trials, as follows.
T24 columnist Tolga Şardan was sentenced to a suspended five-month prison sentence on charges of “insulting judicial organs” over his news report titled “MİT judiciary report.” Investigative journalists Barış Pehlivan and Murat Ağırel were sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” due to their statements on the program “Kayda Geçsin” on Halk TV.
Timur Soykan was also given a suspended 10-month prison sentence on charges of “violating confidentiality.” Journalist Zafer Arapkirli, a writer for BirGün newspaper, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison on charges of “publicly disseminating qualified misleading information” due to a social media post regarding attacks targeting Alawites in Syria. Erdoğan Alayumat was sentenced to a suspended 1 year and 3 months in prison on grounds of “making propaganda for a terrorist organization.”
Journalist İskender Kahraman, who was retried on charges of “organization propaganda” over articles about Rojava and Afrin published on the Yüksekova Haber website in 2017 and 2018, was acquitted. Journalist Ender İmrek, who was held under house arrest for 100 days as part of the HDK investigation, and Ercüment Akdeniz, who was detained for eight months, were acquitted in their cases where they were tried for “organization membership.” A similar decision was reached for Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Esra Solin Dal and Mehmet Aslan.
Persecution through arrests continues with the cases of İsmail Arı and Yıldız Tar
Chronic problems regarding the arrest of journalists due to a political conjuncture or after commenting on political authorities continued in the last three-month period with reporters such as BirGün newspaper reporter İsmail Arı, Aydınpost site owner Yelis Ayaz, and magazine journalist Bilal Özcan being targeted.
Along with these journalists – although DW Türkçe reporter Alican Uludağ, who was previously arrested, was recently released – we can note the imprisonment of Kaos GL news site editor-in-chief Yıldız Tar under the pretext of an “organization operation” before the NATO Summit, which constituted a fresh example of the violation of fundamental journalism rights due to a conjuncture. The detention of 40-year journalist and TELE1 editor-in-chief Merdan Yanardağ in a lawsuit for alleged “political espionage” has exceeded eight months.
Three out of five detentions against LGBTI+ journalism
While at least five journalists were detained in the April – June period, the reason for the deprivation of liberty of three of them (Müberra Ünsal, Yusuf Çelik, and Doğa Tekneci) was related to and following the LGBTI+ Pride Week and connected matters. Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Sema Bingöl was also detained and assaulted while following a demonstration commemorating Ethem Sarısülük, who was killed in Ankara.
Three out of five attacks in front of CHP Headquarters
In the last three months, at least five journalists were subjected to attacks or physical interventions by political figures or groups, and one was threatened due to their broadcast.
