Censorship in Turkey

Turkey's Supreme Election Board (YSK) will cease monitoring private TV channels during campaigns of the upcoming referendum, according to a state of emergency decree published in the Official Gazette early on Feb. 9. The new regulation states that private channels will not have to broadcast in accordance with YSK rules. 

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has introduced new measures limiting broadcasting after terror attacks. 

In a meeting with representatives of broadcasters on Feb. 1, RTÜK gave information on broadcasting bans introduced with state of emergency decrees and the measures it will take if the rules are broken. 

One person was detained on Jan. 21 when police opened fire into the air after a truck broke security barrier in front of police headquarters in Istanbul, Doğan News Agency has reported.

The Istanbul Governor's Office stated that the brake of the truck failed as it broke security barrier in front of the headquarters, noting that it was not a terror-related incident. 

The lawyer of arrested Turkish journalist Ahmet Şık said on Dec. 31 that his team will appeal against a court decision to arrest him.

Police detained prominent Turkish journalist Ahmet Şık in Istanbul on Dec. 29 as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office.

Şık was transferred to police headquarters ahead of his referral to court.

Şık also confirmed his detention on his Twitter account.

An explosion has occurred in front of the entrance Erciyes University in Turkey's central province of Kayseri early on Dec. 17.

There were wounded people according to initial reports, Turkish broadcaster CNN Türk has reported.

Ambulances were sent to the area after the explosion.

Turkey is using the charge of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an to intimidate his opponents and silence dissent and European leaders must take a tougher line with Ankara on free speech, Nobel prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk said on May 3. 

Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders has warned the Netherlands cannot guarantee the safety of citizens travelling to Turkey if they have been critical of Turkish leaders.
 

A Dutch journalist of Turkish descent who was briefly detained by Turkish police after tweeting critical remarks about the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said her Amsterdam apartment has been broken into, denouncing what she described as "intimidation."

A Dutch journalist was detained on April 23 in the Ku?adas? district of the Aegean province of Ayd?n for allegedly insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an via her Twitter account. 

Police detained journalist Ebru Umar after she tweeted an extract from a recent piece she wrote for Dutch daily Metro critical of Erdo?an.