Last Sunday, Turkish voters narrowly approved constitutional changes that observers fear will lead to authoritarian rule under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. While international election observers have criticised technical aspects of the vote, Erdoğan’s crackdown on the press – including the jailing of at least 150 journalists – and nurturing of a state propaganda machine had […]

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today released a comparative study “Defamation and Insult Laws in the OSCE Region” finding that criminal law remains an instrument to excessively limit media freedom. Commissioned by the representative and conducted by International Press Institute (IPI) Director of Press […]

According to information before IPI, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Turkmen Service correspondent Ogulsapar Muradova died in custody while serving a prison sentence on charges that were said to be politically motivated. Her relatives were notified by police on 14 September, but the circumstances of her death remain unclear. Based on media reports, Muradova’s body […]

At the close of the year, the International Press Institute (IPI) takes a look at 10 states that have poor records on press freedom, but on whose strategic support the west depends. These ‘Friends’ of the West, Enemies of Press Freedom are listed in no particular order below. *********************************************************** Turkey Friend: Relations between the west and […]