Türkiye's authorities should immediately cease attacks on peaceful protesters, stop targeting journalists and news channels, and halt the crackdown on online speech, a group of 15 international human rights and media freedom groups, including Human Rights Watch, said today.
The following is their statement:
ARTICLE 19 and 14 other organizations are alarmed by the recent escalation in the government's crackdown on freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly following the detention of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Tens of thousands continue to participate in overwhelmingly peaceful mass protests across Türkiye, marking the largest demonstrations in over a decade. The protests, which initially began in major cities, have spread throughout the country, and the police have responded with unlawful and indiscriminate force to disperse the crowds. Journalists also face significant restrictions, including arrests and physical assaults, and social media platforms have been pressured to suppress information about unfolding events.
The government must immediately cease its attacks against peaceful protesters, stop targeting journalists and news channels, and halt its crackdown on online speech. We also urge social media companies to take immediate steps to restore access to blocked accounts containing protected speech while implementing necessary measures to ensure continued accessibility of their platforms.
Crackdown on Mass Protest
Türkiye is now facing one of its gravest socio-political upheavals in decades. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on 19 March, based on investigations of 'corruption' and 'aiding terrorism', in a raid involving detention orders for more than 100 others. İmamoğlu was remanded in pre-trial detention on 23 March, the same day he was nominated by members of his party as the main opposition candidate in a symbolic primary for the 2028 presidential election. He was removed from his post alongside district mayors of Şişli and Beylikdüzü, who also face charges.
According to the Minister of Interior, as of 26 March, 1879 people were detained during the protests. The protests were met with unwarranted and unlawful use of police force, with people beaten with batons and kicked when they were on the ground. Law enforcement officials indiscriminately used pepper spray, tear gas, plastic bullets and water cannons against protesters, causing numerous injuries. The Minister also reported on 27 March that 150 police officers were injured during the protests. He did not, however, report how many protestors were injured.
The repression also affects forms of protest beyond demonstrations. On 26 March, members of the board of Eğitim-Sen, a teachers' union, were put under house arrest pending trial for 'inciting crime' following their decision to stop work on 25 March in solidarity with university students - who have been at the forefront of the protests- , while the union's representative at Istanbul University was detained.
Blanket bans on protests have been in place in Istanbul since 19 March, and in İzmir and Ankara since 21 March. The Governor of Istanbul also issued a decision stating that 'Individuals, groups and vehicles likely to participate in illegal activities - individually or collectively - will not be allowed to enter or exit the city'. It is unclear how this is enforced.
We remind Turkish authorities that they have obligations under international human rights law to respect and ensure everyone's right to freedom of peaceful assembly. Any restrictions to this right must be narrowly drawn and meet the three-part test. Specifically, they must be prescribed by law, pursue a legitimate aim, and be necessary and proportionate to that aim. Blanket bans on protests are disproportionate and unjustifiable. Additionally, we strongly condemn the use of force against peaceful protesters. The use of force by law enforcement officials must be strictly necessary and proportionate. Only the minimum force necessary may be used, and those who use force must always be accountable. We call on the authorities to ensure that any allegations of unlawful use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officials, including gender-based violence, torture and other ill-treatment inflicted on protesters, are subject to an effective, impartial and timely investigation.
Threats and Violence against Journalists and Media Outlets
The crackdown on mass protests has been accompanied by intensified attacks and pressure on independent media and journalists. At least 11 local journalists were detained in Istanbul and Izmir due to their reporting of the protests, with seven of them remanded in detention on 25 March for allegedly violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations, and released after appeal on 27 March, pending trial. At least 10 local journalists were physically assaulted by the police while covering the protests on the ground in Istanbul, and one journalist was reportedly assaulted by protesters.
The international media have also been caught up in the crackdown. The BBC reported on 27 March that its correspondent Mark Lowen, who was in Istanbul to cover the protests, was detained at his hotel and later deported on the grounds that he was a 'threat to public order'.
Reporting on the events is also restricted by Türkiye's Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK). RTÜK's chair Ebubekir Şahin has urged broadcast media, their anchors and commentators to ensure their reporting 'remain free from political bias', warning that failure to do so would result in maximum penalties, including the revocation of their licenses. On 21 and 27 March, RTÜK followed through by issuing administrative fines and temporary broadcast suspensions of up to 10 days to TV channels Halk TV, SCZ TV, Tele 1, and Now TV.
We call on Türkiye, and specifically RTÜK, to immediately stop these media freedom violations and create an environment that allows the media to provide the public with necessary information and to report on events free from state pressure. Intimidating journalists to disseminate only government-approved content undermines the core principles of independent journalism. We also reiterate that journalists and other observers must be protected and able to freely report on public interest issues, including monitoring the actions of law enforcement officials, and must not face reprisals or other harassment.
Online Censorship
Social media is one of the last channels through which people in Türkiye have access to independent voices, and where activists and journalists can share their opinions relatively freely. Amid mass protests, the authorities have swiftly imposed heavy restrictions on social media and messaging apps, including ordering social media platforms to block protest-related content.
Major social media platforms and messaging apps were subjected to bandwidth throttling starting at 7 a.m. local time on 19 March, when the detentions of the mayor and others took place. The restrictions appeared to be limited to Istanbul and lasted for 42 hours, until 21 March. No clarification was provided regarding the reasons for these restrictions or why they were lifted. Under the Electronic Communications Law (Law no. 5809), such restrictions can be implemented by the Information Technologies Authority (BTK) on orders by the Presidency where there is peril in delay and threats to national security or public order. These administrative restrictions are temporary and are reviewed by the judiciary in 24 hours at the latest.
The BTK issued hundreds of blocking orders for the social media accounts of journalists, media organisations, civil society organisations and human rights defenders based on Article 8/A of the Law no. 5651, non-compliance with which can result in severe sanctions against social media companies.
Although it appears that many of the accounts on X are currently blocked, X issued a statement according to which it objected to 'multiple court orders [...] to block over 700 accounts', including those of news organisations, journalists, and political figures. On 26 March, X announced that they filed an individual application before the Constitutional Court challenging an order by the BTK to block 126 accounts.
Authorities must refrain from using legal and extra-legal means to exert pressure on social media platforms to censor online content in violation of their international human rights obligations, particularly content involving political discourse, which enjoys the highest level of protection. Türkiye must allow free and unfettered access to the internet, and rescind all unlawful orders to block social media accounts of those exercising their right to free expression to criticise the authorities.
We renew our call to social media platforms to resist political pressure and refrain from restricting access to protected expression. Rather than simply accepting such blocking orders, we urge platforms to take all steps possible to limit their scope and duration, including by challenging their legality in court. Platforms should also be transparent towards affected users and the broader public about government requests for censorship and measures taken in response; and take all possible steps to maintain platform access in the event of shutdowns or throttling.
Signed:
ARTICLE 19
Amnesty International
Civil Rights Defenders
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Human Rights Watch
IFEX
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
International Press Institute (IPI)
Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC)
PEN America
PEN Sweden
PEN International
Danish PEN
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
World Organization against Torture (OMCT)
