Call for the Immediate Release of Journalist Furkan Karabay

10Haber reporter Furkan Karabay was detained on November 8, 2024, following his reporting and social media posts regarding the investigation into Ahmet Özer, mayor of Istanbul's Esenyurt district, who was arrested and replaced by a trustee on October 30, 2024.

Karabay faces charges of "targeting a public official," "insulting a public official," and "publicly disseminating misleading information." On November 9, he was arrested by the court without having been questioned by the prosecutor. The justification for his detention was "targeting individuals involved in the fight against terrorism."

Karabay had previously been detained for reporting on corruption and bribery allegations involving members of the judiciary, based on public court records from an open trial.

Journalists in Turkey who report on the judiciary or issues related to the functioning of the judiciary are increasingly being detained under the charge of "targeting individuals involved in the fight against terrorism." In 2023, reporter Fırat Can Arslan was arrested for sharing a social media post about the appointment decisions of a judge and a prosecutor published in the Official Gazette. Four other journalists who shared Arslan's post were also detained.

Karabay's arrest is the latest example of the increasing criminalization of reporting on the judiciary. These actions against journalists who are simply fulfilling their duty to inform the public are not only a violation of the public's right to access information but also a breach of freedom of expression and press freedom, which are protected under the constitution and international agreements, particularly the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory.

Such arrests and judicial attacks have not been able to silence journalists in the past, and they will not succeed in doing so in the future.

We call for the immediate release of Furkan Karabay, recognizing that his detention is an unjust infringement on press freedom and freedom of expression.

We stand firmly in opposition to policies of intimidation, harassment, and pressure against journalists. As civil society organizations and press associations listed below, we call for the immediate release of journalist Furkan Karabay.

Signatories:

• Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA)

• European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

• International Press Institute (IPI)

• Progressive Journalists Association (PJA)

• Freedom House