The International Press Institute (IPI) is concerned about the recent harassment targeting journalist Fatih Altaylı. On May 24, 2025, Altaylı shared on his social media account that a group of unknown individuals had gathered in front of his home and hung an insulting banner on the night of May 23.
In his post, Altaylı described the incident as a “we know where you live threat”, calling on the authorities to take necessary action. Altaylı also stated that he handed the security camera footage to the officials and filed a formal complaint.
The seasoned journalist was singled out on social media following his comments on his YouTube channels, criticizing the attacks against an Israeli singer.
Threats and intimidation against journalists in Turkey have been on the rise recently, reaffirming serious concerns for press freedom. Investigative journalists İsmail Arı and Osman Çaklı have received death threats while reporting organized crime networks. On a similar occasion, journalist Ceren Deniz was threatened for covering sexual assault allegations against a public official.
These incidents reflect a pattern of hostility toward journalists and freedom of media. Safety of journalists is a core pillar of press freedom. IPI calls on Turkish authorities to take these incidents seriously and ensure the safety of journalists and their families immediately.
This statement was produced by IPI as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries, funded by the European Commission.