Baris Yarkadas, ex-opposition MP and journalist continues to release regular reports on attacks on journalists and the media. The latest report paints a tragic yet unsurprising picture with respect to press and media freedom in Turkey, showing that in December 2020 alone:
- 35 journalists were brought before the courts,
- 4 journalists were sentenced to 42 years and 6 months in prison,
- 1 newspaper was given a 3 day ban on adverts,
- 1 journalist was given a 10,000 Turkish Lira penalty, and
- 1 TV channel closed leaving 180 journalists unemployed
The report also shows that in 2020:
- 491 journalists were brought before the courts,
- 37 journalists received a total of 151 years in prison, and
- 33 channels were subject to financial penalties and temporary closure.
