Weekly Roundup: Oct 16–23

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Judicial and digital pressure on independent media continues with arrests, access restrictions and blocked reports.

The third quarterly edition of bianet‘s Media Monitoring Report was published. The report highlights the increase in online censorship and imprisonment of journalists over three months. According to the report, at least 17 journalists faced investigations due to their work, 13 were taken into custody and seven were jailed pending trial. Also, access to dozens of news reports and social media accounts belonging o journalists was blocked by authorities.

BirGün reporter İsmail Arı was detained after responding to a police summons and jailed pending trial the following day on a charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information.”

Halk TV’s X account with over three million followers was blocked in Turkey, a week after state-appointed trustees took over the pro-opposition broadcaster.

In a separate case against former bianet editor was dropped after the statutory deadline for filing charges had expired. The case concerned Yılmaz’s interview with Turkey’s Armenian people. She faced charges of “insulting the Turkish nation and state.”

After the İstanbul floods

Seven people died and around 3,000 homes and businesses were affected by floods that struck İstanbul on Oct 14 and 15. Thousands of damage claims were filed as the destruction renewed scrutiny of construction in streambeds and inadequate infrastructure.

Speaking to bianet, climate scientist Barış Önol warned that extreme rainfall was expected to become more frequent and intense. He also stressed that population growth and expanding construction increase exposure to flooding, regardless of changes in the climate.

Meanwhile, he rainfall raised the city’s reservoir fill rate from 38.06% to 52.43%, its highest level since 2018.

LGBTI+ detainees remain without an indictment

MP Özgül Saki reported some improvements in prison conditions after visiting nine detained LGBTI+ activists. Eighty-two people have been in prison for over 40 days now, after being arrested during operations dubbed by authorities as “My Family Is Safe.”

Lawyers representing executives of the Kaos GL association, an LGBTI+ rights group targeted in the operations, described their continued detention as “hostage-taking.” They also reported alleged mistreatment, including isolation, restricted access to health care and strip searches.

The investigation into the LGBTI+ movement centers on allegations of “obscenity,” an offense historically associated with sexually explicit and pornographic material.

Opposition municipalities change hands

Gökhan Günaydın of the main opposition New Party announced a tally of municipalities changing hands after the 2024 local elections. Accordingly, 106 mayors elected from opposition parties in 2024 had since joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Meanwhile, 32 mayors remain in pretrial detention as part of corruption investigations.

Günaydın accused the government of using a combination of political incentives and legal pressure to draw mayors to its side.

Azerbaijan tensions and Yemen conflict

Azerbaijan issued arrest warrants for seven people living in Turkey over protests and social media posts opposing restrictions on religious clothing in Azerbaijani schools. Azerbaijani authorities said judicial cooperation with Turkey was underway.

Meanwhile, renewed conflict in Yemen raised questions about Turkey’s obligations under the Mecca defense pact, as Ankara seeks to limit Iranian influence while avoiding involvement in offensive military operations.

Migrant children

Two children from an Iraqi Kurdish family died after an overcrowded inflatable boat capsized in the Meriç River during an attempted crossing into Greece. A third child remained missing.

In a separate development, 13 unaccompanied migrant children who had gone missing from a reception center were found in Edirne and İstanbul and returned to the facility. Authorities did not explain the circumstances of their disappearance.

(VK)