Europe
Thousands protest in Istanbul and Ankara against arrests of journalists: “You will not silence us”
According to the Journalists' Union of Turkey, 11 journalists have been jailed in the past two months, while the Halk TV channel was placed under a state-appointed administrator.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 24, 2026, 16:50 · Updated 18:39 · 1 min read
In brief
- On Istanbul's Asian side alone, at least 3,000 people gathered, according to police figures.
- The Journalists' Union says 11 journalists have been jailed in two months and several media outlets closed.
- In early October, police entered Halk TV and installed a government-appointed administrator.
Thousands of people protested on Saturday in Istanbul and Ankara against what they call growing pressure on journalists in Turkey: arrests, media closures and the appointment of government administrators at media outlets, AFP reported, as cited by ATSH (the Albanian Telegraphic Agency). The rallies drew mainly journalists, representatives of human rights organizations and members of opposition parties.
According to police figures, at least 3,000 people gathered on Istanbul's Asian side alone. Protesters carried photos of jailed journalists and chanted: “Enough. We can't breathe anymore,” “You will not silence us” and “We will not bow to pressure.”
Halk TV and T24 targeted
The Journalists' Union of Turkey says 11 journalists have been jailed and several media outlets closed in the past two months. In early October, police raided Halk TV, one of the country's most-watched news channels, interrupted its broadcasts and installed a government-appointed administrator. Earlier, authorities had blocked the website and social media accounts of the digital outlet T24, claiming it was spreading “LGBT propaganda.”
Press freedom in Turkey has been increasingly restricted since the failed 2016 coup attempt, which was followed by numerous trials and online censorship. Human rights organizations say pressure on independent journalism has grown significantly in recent weeks. Saturday's rallies took place simultaneously in the country's two largest cities, with journalists and activists demanding the release of their jailed colleagues.
