Turkish authorities sentenced 58 journalists to a total of 135 years in prison, detained 112 and arrested 26 in 2024, according to a report released by an opposition lawmaker, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported.
Zeynep Oduncu Kutevi, a member of the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), presented the findings in a report titled “2024 Press Freedom Report Card: The Anatomy of Silencing the Truth.” The report accuses President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party of intensifying efforts to stifle independent journalism and suppress dissent.
“These are not just numbers — they reflect lives disrupted, voices silenced and a society deprived of its right to know the truth,” Kutevi said during a press conference. She accused President Erdoğan of weaponizing the legal system to intimidate journalists and control public narratives.
The report also documented 60 investigations launched against journalists, 33 new court cases and the prosecution of 872 media workers. Financial penalties totaling 261,820 Turkish lira ($7,413) were imposed on journalists, as well as 240 documented incidents of threats, attacks or obstruction.
“Silencing journalists means silencing society,” Kutevi said. “It leaves the public uninformed and injustices unchallenged. The government’s message is clear — only its version of the truth matters.”
Calling for reforms to protect journalists and restore media independence, Kutevi pledged her party’s commitment to defending press freedom. She said democracy cannot survive without critical voices and transparency, adding that the struggle for press freedom is essential not just for journalists, but for the public’s right to information.
Turkey, which became the world’s biggest prison for journalists in 2018 during a state of emergency imposed after a coup attempt, was ranked 158th of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.