Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) published the “March 2025 Violation of Rights Report on Journalists”. Noting that they left behind a month of heavy blows against freedom of expression, thought and press freedom, the report said, "In March, journalism was both clamped down by economic pressures and targeted with detentions, arrests and physical attacks. The data on violations of the rights of journalists in March is a black stain on Turkey's press freedom record."

 

Referring to the press organizations that closed down or downsized due to economic reasons, The report noted that journalists continued to practice their profession despite all economic hardships and were subjected to attacks while practicing their profession and said, "The police intervened dispropotionately and harshly in the public protests that started on March 19 with the detention and subsquent arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. During these interventions, 17 journalists were subjected to physical violence and ill-treatment. Journalists were arbitrarily prevented from following the news."

 

'21 JOURNALISTS DETAINED'

 

Pointing to the violations in March, the report described the violations with the following statements: “While 21 journalists were detained in March, 17 journalists were detained for covering the protests. On March 24, Yasin Akgül, Ali Onur Tosun, Bülent Kılıç, Zeynep Kuray, Kurtuluş Arı, Gökhan Kam, Gökhan Kam and Hayri Tunç, who were detained in Istanbul, were first released with judicial control and then arrested after the prosecutor changed his decision. The prosecutor's change of decision was interpreted as an 'instruction' and the journalists were released two days later after reactions. In March, 8 journalists were arrested, including Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, while journalist İsmail Saymaz was placed under house arrest.”

 

'3 JOURNALISTS DEPORTED'

 

“Trying to suppress the reaction of the society by force, the government declared war on the journalists who were reporting the protests on the streets,” the report said, describing Radio and Television Supreme Council's (RTÜK) pressure on media outlets as follows: “RTÜK stopped the broadcasting of channels with the threat of censorship, and the virtual media accounts of journalists and media organizations trying to make the voice of the street heard to the world were closed. The virtual media accounts of youth organizations showing their democratic reaction, legal organizations waging a legal struggle against torture and rights violations on the streets, and women's organizations waging a struggle against all kinds of violence and massacres against women were closed. Three foreign journalists covering both Newroz and the protests in Saraçhane were deported and one was arrested.”

 

'ACCESS TO 269 ACCOUNTS BLOCKED'

 

Information on the fines imposed by RTÜK in the report reads: “Acting like the Gobbels of the Hitler era, the RTÜK President first threatened the channels that broadcast the protests, and then imposed a 10-day blackout on 1 channel and 18 program suspensions and fines on 4 channels.  X announced in a statement that Turkey has blocked access to 700 accounts, while we have determined that access to 269 accounts, including those of journalists, youth and women's organizations, has been blocked. We estimate that this number is over 700 with personal accounts. During this period, Bianet's X account and Mezopotamya Agency's Instagram account were closed, while the web address of Mezopotamya Agency was blocked by Adıyaman 1st Criminal Judicature of Peace. In March, access to 3 websites and 6 news articles were blocked.” 

 

It was pointed out that the Cyber Security Law Proposal, which is expected to increase the pressure on the press and which was prepared by the AKP and brought to the Parliament, was accepted by the Parliament, and it was pointed out that the freedom of the press suffered another heavy wound with this bill. The report stated, “As the government continues its attacks on freedom of thought, expression and press freedom, the picture has become darker. Despite all this darkness, journalists continue to work and write the truth. We reiterate once again; no power can screen the truth, journalism cannot be put on trial.”