Paris, April 8: A prominent international press freedom organization has condemned Turkey’s use of digital censorship against exiled journalists. They are calling on authorities to end this “repressive policy.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described this act as the next step in the ongoing crackdown on journalists already facing exile. RSF stated that cyber censorship is increasingly being used as a tool to silence media professionals who have been forced out of the country.
The organization highlighted that in 2025, around five journalists were targeted online through censorship of their social media accounts. Four of them could face jail time due to “false” cases, some of which date back over a decade.
Erol Önderoğlu, RSF’s representative in Turkey, noted, “Exiled journalists are already struggling to fight legal cases against them in Turkey. Last year, they faced a targeted censorship campaign aimed specifically at their social media presence. The accusation of undermining national security is a pretext frequently used in the country to suppress information shared online by exiled journalists.”
Önderoğlu urged Turkish authorities to end the ongoing campaign to discredit media professionals and push them out of online news. He emphasized that this practice deprives the people of Turkey of their right to access reliable information.
RSF expressed concern that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has long been systematically intimidating journalists, a trend that extends beyond the country’s borders.
The report further stated that in 2025, many media professionals were targeted by digital censorship, labeled as “enemies” by the Turkish government.
Among those affected are Can Dundar, founder of the news website Ozguruz; freelance journalist Metin Sihan; Amberin Zaman, a reporter for Al Monitor; Erk Akarar, a journalist, YouTuber, and commentator for Ozguruz; and Haiko Bagdat, a journalist and author.
Criticizing the actions against these media professionals, RSF stated, “Their so-called crime is simply that they practice journalism: reporting on heavy trucks transporting ammunition to jihadist groups in Syria under the surveillance of Turkey’s intelligence services a decade ago, or how maritime trade with Israel continued despite the Gaza conflict, along with writing articles and social media posts criticizing President Erdoğan’s political and economic policies.”
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