Journalists Detained Across Turkey Amid Pro-Kurdish Protests, Sparking International Condemnation

Recent Detentions Highlight Press Freedom Concerns

Turkish authorities have recently detained several journalists across the country, including in Şırnak, Istanbul, and Nusaybin, as they reported on pro-Kurdish protests. These actions have drawn sharp criticism from international press freedom organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which has called for the immediate release of all detained media workers.

The detentions occurred in the context of demonstrations by Kurdish citizens of Turkey protesting renewed clashes between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces in Syria.

Incidents in Şırnak and Nusaybin

In the southeastern province of Şırnak, reporter Nedim Oruç of the Kurdish-language outlet Ajansa Welat was detained on January 14 while covering a protest in the Cizre district against attacks on Kurdish neighborhoods in Syria's Aleppo. He was subsequently arrested on January 17, pending trial, on suspicion of 'publishing terrorist propaganda.' The International Press Institute (IPI) has urged Turkish authorities to release Oruç, highlighting concerns about the misuse of counterterrorism laws against critical journalism.

Separately, in the Nusaybin district of Mardin province, six journalists were taken into custody on January 21 while covering a march in solidarity with Syrian Kurds. Those detained include:

• Pelşin Çetinkaya (JINNEWS)
• Heval Önkol (Mezopotamya News Agency)
• Kesire Önel (Co-chair of Dicle Fırat Journalists Association - DFG)
• Ferhat Akıncı
• Muhammet Ali Yılmaz
• Barış Demircan

The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) stated that preventing journalists from performing their duties constitutes a violation of the public's right to information and demanded their immediate release.

Detention and Release in Istanbul

In Istanbul, French freelance journalist Raphaël Boukandoura was detained on January 19 while covering a rally organized by the pro-Kurdish DEM Party. Despite holding a valid work permit and having lived in Turkey since 2015, he was transferred to a deportation center. Following international pressure from press freedom groups, including Reporters Without Borders, and diplomatic protests, Boukandoura was released without charge on January 21.

International Condemnation and Broader Context

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement on January 22, urging Turkish authorities to 'release all journalists detained in recent days across Turkey and allow them to cover political rallies and protests unobstructed.' Özgür Öğret, CPJ's Turkey representative, emphasized that 'It is unacceptable that journalists following public events in Turkey have been taken into police custody and kept from doing their jobs.'

These recent detentions occur within a broader pattern of escalating press freedom concerns in Turkey. According to a 2025 report by BIA Media Monitoring, at least 29 journalists were arrested in 2025, with dozens more facing detention or other restrictive measures. Human rights and press freedom organizations frequently criticize the use of broad terrorism and public order laws to silence critical reporting. Turkey was ranked 159th out of 180 nations in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).