Turkey: Government silences last critical media outlets
Turkey's freedom of expression and press freedom has been making headlines in Germany for years. The non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders has ranked Turkey 159 out of 180 countries in its global press freedom index 2025.
At the moment, officially "only" four people are in prison for their journalistic activities. While this marks a significant drop from a few years ago, the government is constantly finding new ways to suppress independent journalism. For example, passports of media professionals released from prison have been withheld so they are not able to leave the country. Foreign journalists are also unable to work freely in Turkey, as the arrest of Swedish journalist Kaj Joakim Medin shows.
According to estimates by reporters without borders and the international press institute (IPI), more than 95 per cent of Turkish media are considered to be close to the government. This means that they are either directly or indirectly run by business people loyal to the government.
New wave of repression
Observers report systematic interference in journalistic work. "The situation of media freedom in Turkey has been tense for 20 years," states Berk Esen, a political scientist at Sabanci university in Istanbul.
The government's interventions have gradually worsened the situation. "The remaining mainstream broadcasters have been brought into line methodically over the past few years. What has remained is a handful of stations close to the opposition," says Esen.
Now the political pressure has taken on a new form: Turkey's two largest TV stations critical of the government, Sözcü TV and Halk TV, will not be allowed to broadcast any programs for 10 days.
The broadcasting ban came into force on Tuesday in accordance with a decision by the radio and television supreme council, or short, RTÜK. The decision was justified with the accusation of "incitement of the people".
The ban of Halk TV is due to statements made by a studio guest on June 26. The guest had said: "Turkey is not becoming more religious, but more sectarian."
In the case of Sözcü TV, RTÜK judged the live broadcast of the protests following the arrest of Istanbul mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu as "incitement to hatred and hostility," according to observers.
Imamoglu has been in custody since March and is considered the most important opposition politician and a promising rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"The government intended to quickly weaken the opposition by arresting Imamoglu. That didn't work, Imamoglu has even become more popular with the government's opponents. That is why the government is changing its strategy and increasing the pressure on other areas," analyzes Esen.
Criticism is no longer tolerated
On Monday, one day before the ten-day broadcasting ban came into force, a court upheld the appeal by Halk TV's lawyers and suspended the enforcement for the time being. Nevertheless, the broadcasting bans are seen as a new escalation in the handling of press freedom. For the first time, two opposition broadcasters were silenced on the same day and for the same period of time. "With these punishments, RTÜK is trying to prevent the media from reporting on public affairs and suppress critical voices," the Turkish Journalists' Association, or TGC, stated.
Also the deputy leader of the largest opposition party, Gökce Gökcen, expressed her outrage: "The broadcasting bans affect the very stations that have shown how unfounded the accusations against our local political representatives are. This is no coincidence. The fact that the [oppositional] Republican People's Party, or CHP, has become the strongest party in Turkey is being punished, and the press is being punished for reporting on it.
In the end, the people themselves are being silenced."
The CEO of Halk TV, Cafer Mahiroglu, warned that this step could be followed by the complete withdrawal of the broadcasting license.
Also the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sanchez Amor, wrote on X "I doubt even George Orwell could think of something like RTÜK! (...) Freedom of media speech are becoming a distant memory in Turkey. There is now a generation that never knew it and it's so sad."
Increasing economic pressure
The consequences of those bans are also serious in economic terms. Without advertising revenue, opposition broadcasters are basically unable to survive. "Media that report critically on the government are put under pressure with broadcasting bans and fines and weakened economically," the Turkish Journalists' Association said.
According to the Media and Legal Studies Association (MLSA), RTÜK imposed fines totaling 124 million Turkish lira (around €4m at the exchange rate at the time) between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2024 and ordered broadcasts to be interrupted in 1357 cases.
In the first half of 2023 alone, five opposition broadcasters were fined around 20 million Turkish lira (around €1.5 m at the time), while pro-government media remained virtually untouched.
A critical phase for Turkey
The TV bans hit Turkey at a politically tense time: the peace process with the PKK is causing controversy. Furthermore, numerous high-ranking oppositional CHP politicians are in custody. The former mayor of Izmir, Tunc Soyer, has been under arrest since the weekend.
Turkey's third-largest city is considered a CHP stronghold and was previously one of the last major cities in which an opposition party had a majority.
"The government currently wants to control rather than eliminate. Of course, this could change in the future," analyst Esen told DW, adding that despite the extremely tense situation, press freedom could continue to worsen. "We haven't hit rock bottom yet," he fears.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
US, China talk trade truce for 5 hrs in Swedish PM office, Trump wants Beijing to 'open up' the country
Top US and Chinese officials met in Stockholm for five hours of talks at the Swedish Prime Minister's office, aiming to extend their trade truce. President Donald Trump, speaking from Scotland, said he wants China to 'open up their country.' read more US President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. File Photo/Reuters Top US and Chinese officials met in Stockholm on Monday for over five hours of talks aimed at easing trade tensions and extending their current trade truce by another 90 days. Held at the Swedish prime minister's office, the negotiations marked the latest effort to resolve long-standing economic disputes between the world's two largest economies. US Treasury Chief Scott Bessent led the American delegation, while Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng represented Beijing. China faces an August 12 deadline to finalise a lasting tariff deal with the Trump administration, following provisional agreements in May and June that paused tit-for-tat tariffs and export restrictions, including on rare earth minerals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The talks are expected to resume Tuesday. I'd love to see China open up: Trump Speaking at a press conference in Scotland alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Donald Trump briefly addressed the discussions. 'I'd love to see China open up their country,' he said. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who also took part in the Stockholm meeting, tempered expectations of any major breakthrough. 'What I expect is continued monitoring and checking in on the implementation of our agreement thus far… and setting the groundwork for enhanced trade and balanced trade going forward,' he told CNBC. Without a deal, global supply chains risk fresh disruption, as triple-digit US tariffs could snap back into effect, effectively creating a bilateral trade embargo. The Stockholm round follows Trump's recent trade agreement with the European Union, imposing a 15% tariff on most EU exports to the US. Analysts believe Washington and Beijing are likely to agree to another 90-day freeze on tariffs and tech export restrictions, potentially paving the way for a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year. According to the Financial Times, the US has temporarily paused certain tech export controls to preserve momentum in talks and support Trump's push for a summit. Taiwan President to delay US trip in August Meanwhile, Taiwan remains a sensitive issue hovering over the negotiations. Sources told Reuters that Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is expected to delay a planned August trip to the US, aiming to avoid provoking Beijing and jeopardising trade discussions. China views Taiwan as part of its territory and strongly opposes any expression of US support for Taipei. US lawmakers plans to strain on ongoing trade talks Back in Washington, bipartisan US senators are preparing to introduce legislation targeting China over its policies on Taiwan, human rights, and political dissent, moves that could further complicate the negotiating atmosphere. Earlier US-China talks in Geneva and London this year focused on scaling down retaliatory tariffs and restoring trade in key sectors such as rare earths and advanced technology, including Nvidia's H20 AI chips. However, core economic disagreements remain unresolved. Washington accuses Beijing of distorting global markets with cheap exports, while China opposes U.S. export controls aimed at curbing its tech development. Analysts warn that talks with China are far more complex than with other Asian nations, and will require significantly more time. Beijing's dominance in rare earth minerals and magnets—crucial for everything from military systems to electric motors—continues to give it strategic leverage in the negotiations.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
EU and US Rush to Nail Down Final Details and Lock In Trade Deal
The European Union dodged an imminent trade war with the US this week, but markets and a growing chorus of critics have dispelled early hopes that the deal will bring a sense of stability back to transatlantic relations. The euro dropped the most in over two months against the dollar Monday, plunging more than 1%. That's after the common currency had surged to a near three-year high last week on the prospect of an agreement with the US. The EU over the weekend agreed to accept a 15% tariff on most of its exports, while the bloc's average tariff rate on American goods should drop below 1% once the deal goes into effect. Brussels also said it would purchase $750 billion in American energy products and invest $600 billion more in the US. 'The free trade principles that have underpinned transatlantic prosperity since the end of World War II are being systematically dismantled,' Karin Karlsbro, a Swedish member of the European Parliament's trade committee, said in a statement. 'The risk of European economic and political marginalization grows with each concession made.' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who initially cheered the deal as having 'succeeded' in avoiding a trade conflict and enabling the EU to safeguard its interests, seemed to sour on the accord. 'The German economy will suffer significant damage from these tariffs,' he told reporters Monday. 'I'm pretty sure this won't be limited to Germany and Europe. We'll also see the consequences of this trade policy in America.' French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou was also critical, saying on social media: 'It's a dark day when an alliance of free peoples, united to affirm their values and defend their interests, opts for submission.' The EU and US will seek to clinch a non-legally binding joint statement by Aug. 1 that will expand on some of the elements negotiated over the weekend, according to a senior EU official. Once the statement is finalized, the US will begin lowering its tariffs on specific sectors, in particular for cars and car parts, which currently face a 27.5% levy. The two sides will then start work on a legally binding text, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The content and legal form of this document aren't clear, but it would require the support of at least a qualified majority of EU countries and possibly the European Parliament. The EU official said that reaching a consensus on the legal text could take a long time; many trade accords require years of negotiations. The EU won't start implementing the terms it agreed to — such as lowering tariffs on US products — until after this legal text is approved, according to the official. 'The agreement removes some tail downside risks but is short on details, which will need to be thrashed out over the coming weeks, risking new volatility,' Oliver Rakau — chief Germany economist at Oxford Economics — said in a note. 'Uncertainty is likely to remain elevated.' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the US agreed to bilaterally lower tariffs to zero on certain strategic products, including aircraft and component parts, certain generics, semiconductor equipment and certain agricultural products. One potential sticking point in negotiations will be EU metal exports, which currently have a 50% tariff rate. The EU is pushing for a quota on metals that would lower the levies on a certain volume of goods, while anything above that would pay the 50% rate, according to the EU official. 'Uncertainty remains regarding all the details concerning the European steel industry,' said Axel Eggert, director-general of the European Steel Association. Discussions are ongoing on whether some goods, such as wine and spirits, would be exempt from the 15% tariff rate, the EU official said. Another possible issue is the EU's promise to purchase $750 billion of American energy imports over three years, an integral part to securing the deal. Yet it's hard to see how the EU attains such ambitious flows over such a short time frame. Total energy imports from the US accounted for less than $80 billion last year, far short of the promise made by von der Leyen to Trump. Total US energy exports were just over $330 billion in 2024. The EU's pledge to invest an additional $600 billion in the US is just as problematic. The investment is just an aggregate of pledges by companies and not a binding target as the European Commission can't commit to such goal, said the EU official. The uncertainty from the trade war has weighed on EU economic forecasts, with the commission in May cutting its GDP growth expectations for the year to 1.1%. It projected a 1.5% rate in November. Despite the critics, the commission, which handles trade matters for the EU, insists this was the only course of action. 'This is clearly the best deal we could get under very difficult circumstances,' Maros Sefcovic, the EU's trade chief, told reporters on Monday. With assistance from Michal Kubala, Arne Delfs and John Ainger. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
US, China hold new talks on tariff truce
STOCKHOLM: Top US and Chinese economic officials resumed talks in Stockholm on Monday to resolve longstanding economic disputes at the centre of a trade war between the world's top two economies, aiming to extend a truce by three months. US Treasury Chief Scott Bessent was part of a US negotiating team that arrived at Rosenbad, the Swedish prime minister's office in central Stockholm, in the early afternoon. China's Vice Premier He Lifeng was also seen at the venue on video footage. China is facing an August 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with President Donald Trump 's administration, after Beijing and Washington reached preliminary deals in May and June to end weeks of escalating tit-for-tat tariffs and a cut-off of rare earth minerals. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Project Management Artificial Intelligence Data Science Others Healthcare Cybersecurity Public Policy PGDM Data Science Product Management Finance Data Analytics Degree Technology Leadership MCA healthcare Operations Management MBA Digital Marketing Management others Design Thinking CXO Skills you'll gain: Portfolio Management Project Planning & Risk Analysis Strategic Project/Portfolio Selection Adaptive & Agile Project Management Duration: 6 Months IIT Delhi Certificate Programme in Project Management Starts on May 30, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Project Planning & Governance Agile Software Development Practices Project Management Tools & Software Techniques Scrum Framework Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Programme in IT Project Management Starts on Jun 20, 2024 Get Details Trump touched on the talks during a wide-ranging press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland. "I'd love to see China open up their country. So we're dealing with China right now as we speak," Trump said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join Sanofi Hyderabad's Go-to-Market team. Sanofi Apply Now Undo Without an agreement, global supply chains could face renewed turmoil from US duties snapping back to triple-digit levels that would amount to a bilateral trade embargo. XI-TRUMP MEETING? Live Events Trade analysts said another 90-day extension of a tariff and export control truce struck in mid-May between China and the United States was likely. An extension would facilitate planning for a potential meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in late October or early November. The Financial Times reported on Monday that the U.S. had paused curbs on tech exports to China to avoid disrupting trade talks with Beijing and support Trump's efforts to secure a meeting with Xi this year. Meanwhile, in Washington, U.S. senators from both major parties plan to introduce bills this week targeting China over its treatment of minority groups, dissidents, and Taiwan, emphasizing security and human rights, which could complicate talks in Stockholm. Previous US-China trade talks in Geneva and London in May and June focused on bringing US and Chinese retaliatory tariffs down from triple-digit levels and restoring the flow of rare earth minerals halted by China and Nvidia's H20 AI chips, and other goods halted by the United States.
