At least 259 journalists have been jailed around the world this year, a press advocacy group reported on Monday, the most since it began a detailed annual census of imprisonments in 1990.

The group, the Committee to Protect Journalists, attributed the increase largely to a surge of imprisonments in Turkey after the failed military coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July.

At least 81 journalists — almost a third of the total — were incarcerated by the Turkish authorities in relation to their work, the group said in announcing the 2016 figures, “the highest number in any one country at any time.”

Among those imprisoned were Mehmet Baransu, a former columnist and correspondent for the daily newspaper Taraf, who was accused of obtaining secret documents, insulting the president and membership in a terrorist organization. He is facing a maximum sentence of 75 years. </s> PARIS: The number of journalists detained worldwide rose in 2016, an increase related to Turkey where more than 100 journalists and media contributors are in jail, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Tuesday.

“A total of 348 journalists are currently detained worldwide — six percent more than were detained at this time last year,” RSF said in its annual report. The figure includes bloggers and freelance contributors.

“The number of detained professional journalists in Turkey has risen 22 percent after quadrupling in the wake of the failed coup d’etat in July,” it said.

The number of women journalists imprisoned more than quadrupled over the period (from five to 21).

“This reflects in part the growing role of women in journalism but above all the disastrous situation in Turkey, which currently accounts for a third of the world’s detained women journalists,” RSF said.

“The persecution of journalists around the world is growing at a shocking rate,” RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire said in a statement.

“At the gateway to Europe, an all-out witch-hunt has jailed dozens of journalists and has turned Turkey into the world’s biggest prison for the media profession. In the space of a year, the Erdogan regime has crushed all media pluralism while the European Union has said virtually nothing,” he added.

Aside from Turkey, between them China, Iran and Egypt account for more than two-thirds of journalists imprisoned, RSF said, calling for the creation of a special representative for the safety of journalists directly attached to the office of the United Nations secretary general.

The number of journalists held hostage has however fallen this year, with 52, mostly locals, held around the world compared with 61 last year, although RSF said the 2015 number was particularly high.

This year all the hostages are in the Middle East — Syria, Yemen and Iraq — with 21 held by the Islamic State group alone.

RSF said it had identified just one missing journalist in 2016, Burundian Jean Bigirimana, compared with eight last year.

The group considers journalists missing when there is insufficient evidence of their death or kidnapping and no credible claim of responsibility for their death or abduction.

In a separate report released on Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that 259 journalists were imprisoned around the world in 2016, 81 of them in Turkey.

Its number is lower because the CPJ only counts journalists detained by the state, while RSF also reports on those held hostage by non-state groups.

The CPJ said the top five countries for jailing journalists are Turkey, followed by China, Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

For the first time since 2008 Iran does not appear in the top five. </s> More reporters are behind bars than ever before.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said 259 journalists were in jails around the world as of Dec. 1. That's the highest tally since the committee started keeping records in 1990.

The number has risen mainly because of a crackdown on media in Turkey following a military coup attempt in July, the CPJ said.

At least 81 journalists are currently behind bars in Turkey facing charges related to their work -- the highest number in any one country at any one time, according to the CPJ. Dozens more journalists are imprisoned in Turkey but the CPJ was unable to confirm a direct link to their work.

"Every day that Turkey's journalists languish in jail in violation of that country's own laws, Turkey's standing in the world is diminished," said CPJ executive director Joel Simon.

Related: Twitter claims 'intentional slowing' of service during Turkey's coup

In a separate report on Tuesday, Reporters Without Borders said the number of professional journalists detained in Turkey quadrupled following the failed attempt to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"At the gateway to Europe, an all-out witch-hunt has jailed dozens of journalists and has turned Turkey into the world's biggest prison for the media profession," said Christophe Deloire, the secretary general of Reporters Without Borders.

The government had closed down more than 100 media outlets in Turkey in recent months.

Related: American companies have a lot to lose from Turkey chaos

China, which had the most journalists in jail in 2015 and 2014, dropped to second spot. There were 38 behind bars in 2016.

"This, however, should not be interpreted to mean that press freedom in China has improved in the past year," said Yaqiu Wang, an Asia researcher at CPJ.

"On the contrary, China has cracked down on human rights news websites, banned original reporting on the Internet, prevented journalists from traveling, and tightened its grip on Hong Kong media," she added.

China has been named the world's worst jailer of journalists 18 times since 1990.

Egypt, Eritrea, and Ethiopia are third, fourth and fifth worst jailers of journalists, according to the report. </s> Authorities in Turkey have arrested 1,656 people in the past six months for allegedly supporting terrorist organisations or insulting officials on social media - and are investigating at least 10,000 others.

The interior ministry said legal action had been taken against 3,710 people identified by police.

Besides those arrested, 1,203 people were released on probation, 767 were released and 84 others are still in detention.

Additionally, investigations and legal procedures are under way against an additional 10,000 people reported to public prosecutors.

Turkey has cracked down on dissent following a failed coup in July, with thousands detained over alleged ties to outlawed groups.

Authorities also frequently restrict access to social media platforms to prevent the spread of material authorities say would harm public security. </s> A Turkish court has sentenced 13 journalists to prison on terrorism charges, prompting international condemnation of the country’s deteriorating press freedoms.

The BBC reports that the journalists, who worked for an opposition newspaper called Cumhuriyet, were arrested during a crackdown that followed a failed coup attempt in 2016.

The defendants include journalists, managers and a lawyer for the paper, which has taken a strong stance against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Those convicted face up to seven and a half years behind bars, but will remain free pending their appeals.

Akin Atalay, the paper’s chairman, was sentenced to seven years in prison after already serving 500 days. Editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and prominent cartoonist Musa Kart were among those jailed. Three journalists were also acquitted, according to the BBC.

The Cumhuriyet staff were accused of affiliation with groups labeled as terror organizations by the government, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the leftist Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front.

They have also been accused of supporting the cleric Fetullah Gulen, who has been living in the U.S. in self-imposed exile.

More than 50,000 people were arrested in Turkey and 150,000 removed or suspended from their jobs in the wake of the attempted coup, including public servants, members of the media, police, military personnel and teachers.

“Enough is enough with this cruelty,” read Cumhuriyey’s front page editorial prior to the court hearing, the BBC reports. “You will be shamed in front of history,” said the paper’s website after the ruling.

“We condemn the convictions handed down to Cumhuriyet journalists by a justice system so compromised it should be on trial itself,” Nina Ognianova of the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement. “Conflating journalism with terrorism is a transparently cynical ploy by the Turkish authorities to shut down the press. We call for all of these verdicts to be overturned on appeal.” </s> In this file photo dated Saturday, March 10, 2018, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper Murat Sabuncu, smiles after being released from the prison complex in Silivri, Turkey. | AP

SILIVRI: A Turkish court today convicted journalists from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily for helping outlawed "terrorist" organisations, in a trial seen as a test case for press freedom.

The court in Silivri, outside Istanbul, handed out multiple sentences to 13 journalists and executives but they remain free pending appeal.

Three others were acquitted.

The judge ordered the release of Cumhuriyet chairman Akin Atalay who had been in jail for over 500 days despite his conviction, the correspondent said. </s> Thirteen reporters, editors and executives from opposition Cumhuriyet daily face jail but vow to continue ‘to tell the truth’

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This article is more than 1 year old

A Turkish court has convicted journalists from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily for helping outlawed “terrorist” organisations – but editors vowed their “honourable” journalism would not stop.

The paper has been fiercely critical of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and has run front-page stories that have angered the Turkish head of state.

The court in Silivri, outside Istanbul, handed out multiple sentences to 13 journalists and executives for “aiding and abetting terror organisations without being a member” but they remain free pending appeal.

The Guardian view on Turkish press freedom: standing up for democracy | Editorial Read more

“No penalty can stop us from doing journalism. If needed, we will go to prison again but we will continue to do honest and honourable journalism,” editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu said after being sentenced to seven years and six months.

Sabuncu said the punishment was not only given to him “but to Turkey and to press freedom in Turkey” as authorities sought to deter others from real journalism.

However, he added: “It is the sword of Damocles. Do not be scared. Keep on doing journalism. Let’s keep on doing journalism together.”

The journalists were all charged with supporting, through their coverage, three organisations that Turkey views as terror groups – the Kurdistan Workers’ party, the ultra-left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, and the Gulen movement blamed for the 2016 failed coup.

Among others convicted were some of the biggest names in Turkish journalism, including investigative reporter Ahmet Sik who is seen as one of Turkey’s most incisive critics of the Gulen movement.

He was given a seven-and-a-half year sentence while veteran journalist Kadri Gursel was sentenced to two years and six months. The court handed cartoonist Musa Kart a sentence of three years and nine months.

The judge ordered the release of Cumhuriyet chairman Akin Atalay who had been in jail for over 500 days despite his conviction.

Greeted by his wife Adalet and a crowd of supporters shortly after he walked free from prison, Atalay said Cumhuriyet – which means “republic” – would not succumb to pressure or threats.

Revealed: the terror and torment of Turkey's jailed journalists Read more

“As we always say they cannot intimidate Cumhuriyet which will continue to tell the truth to its readers,” he told reporters.

Three defendants, including the paper’s books supplement editor Turhan Gunay, were acquitted.

Supporters of the accused repeatedly said the charges against the journalists were absurd and that the trial was political.

Cumhuriyet headlined its report on the convictions with a warning to the Turkish authorities: “You will be shamed in front of history.”

Amnesty International’s Turkey campaigner Milena Buyum lambasted the trial during which the prosecution “failed to produce a shred of evidence” of any criminal wrongdoing.



According to the P24 press freedom group, there are over 160 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were arrested under the state of emergency imposed after the coup attempt in July 2016. </s> A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced 14 staff members of the country's main opposition newspaper, Cumhuriyet, to prison on charges of supporting terrorist groups.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, had sharply criticized the case amid broader fears about a crackdown on press freedom in Turkey.
• Prosecutors charged a total 17 Cumhuriyet employees with supporting groups the government has labeled terrorist organizations.Three defendants were acquitted.
• The groups allegedly supported included the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and the Gulen movement, which the government accused of masterminding a failed coup in 2016.
• The paper's chairman, Akin Atalay, was sentenced to 8 years, one month and 15 days in prison, but would be set free pending an appeal. Atalay was the only defendant who was still in prison at the time of the verdict.
• Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu and prominent investigative journalist Ahmet Sik were both sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
• The case against the former-editor-in-chief Can Dundar, who is living in exile in Germany, would continue separately.

Read more: Turkish police break up press freedom rally after 'Cumhuriyet' arrests

What were the reactions?

Sabuncu told DW after the trial: "These [sentences] will not hold us back from doing the profession with courage ... this is Turkey's and Turkish justice's shame. I hope that this decision will be overturned by the high court. I call on everyone living in Turkey to be courageous."

Caroline Stockford, the Turkey Advocacy Coordinator at International Press Institute (IPI), told DW: "It's a shocking disgrace that with no evidence and many breaches of protocol in the courtroom that such decisions can be reached. They are absolutely baseless and ridiculous."

Opposition lawmaker Sezgin Tanrikulu from the Republican People's Party (CHP) told DW: "Justice did not take place. Journalism and peoples' right to get news were sentenced."

What is Cumhuriyet? The daily newspaper, whose name translates to "Republic," is one of the most prominent media outlets critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It is also the country's oldest daily newspaper — it was founded in 1924, one year after the creation of the modern Turkish state.

Free press under threat: The Turkish government under Erdogan has governed the country under an emergency law passed after the failed 2016 coup. Authorities have used the decree to arrest opposition journalists and shut down several media organizations.

Read more: 'State of emergency being used to silence dissident voices' </s> A Turkish court has sentenced six journalists to life in prison in relation to a failed coup attempt in 2016, state media reported.

The six journalists received aggravated life sentences for "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order", an unnamed judicial source told Anadolu news agency on Friday.

Turkey has accused the journalists of having links to a movement headed by exiled Muslim scholar Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara alleges was behind a deadly failed putsch in July 2016. Gulen, who is based in the United States, denies the accusation.

The individuals sentenced on Friday in the Istanbul court include Ahmet Altan, the former editor-in-chief of Taraf newspaper, his brother, journalist and academic Mehmet Altan, and prominent Turkish journalist Nazli Ilicak.

The journalists, who had been detained for about a year, can appeal the ruling all the way up to the Turkish Supreme Court, Al Jazeera's Sinem Koseoglu reported from Istanbul.

"Aggravated life sentence means if prisoners are granted immunity by any other future government or any other judiciary, these people cannot benefit from that," Koseoglu said.

In a post-coup purge, Turkey detained and summarily fired tens of thousands of people, including journalists, academics, teachers, civil servants and police officers, for allegedly having links to the Gulenist movement.

About 150 Turkish journalists are believed to be imprisoned in Turkey, according to the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECMPF) said.

The ruling on Friday was condemned by press freedom and human rights groups.

Christophe Deloire, secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders, said that "the Turkish judiciary and the regime that controls the judges ridicule themselves in front of the world" with the ruling.

"This sets a devastating precedent for scores of other journalists charged with similarly groundless charges," said Sarah Clarke, policy and advocacy manager at PEN International, a freedom of expression advocacy group.

The sentences came a few hours after Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel was released after more than a year in prison.

"We are relieved and happy about the news," Lutz Kinkel, ECMPF managing director, said in a statement.

Yucel still faces a charge of "supporting terrorism", which comes with a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison, the ECMPF said.

"This is a good day for all of us," he said in a statement.

“I am very pleased with this decision by the Turkish judiciary. And I am even happier for Deniz Yucel and his family," he added.

Gabriel thanked the Turkish government for expediting the case and said it "has always emphasised that it will not exert any political influence on the court's decision-making".
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports a record 259 journalists, 81 in Turkey, are jailed worldwide as of December 1.