Turkey’s report card on media crackdown in June

Turkey has intensified its crackdown on critical reporting in June, said Utku Çakırözer, an MP from the main opposition party CHP in a press meeting he held on Saturday in the Turkish Assembly, Gazete Duvar reported.

65 journalists appeared before court, 30 detained and 16 arrested last month, he said In his monthly Media Freedom Report.

Some main points from the report are as follows: 

• Security forces continued to detain and obstruct journalists following manifestations. At least 30 journalists were detained in several cities.
• DW Turkish and Voice of America have lost access to Turkey for their refusal to apply for a license that would allow the government to interfere their editorial content.
• Erdoğan Süzer from Sözcü Newspaper has been investigated by the prosecutor's office over a news story he wrote about public lands being sold through privatization. 
• Journalists Nebiye Arı, Hayri Tunç and Metin Yoksu have been prosecuted due to their news stories and social media posts. Berivan Altan, Tolga Kaan, İzel Sezer and Gökay Başçan have been called to testify. 
• The media watchdog RTUK fined Halk TV, KRT, TELE1, TGRT and Radio Sputnik due to their critical broadcast.
• Press Advertisement Institution has continued to proscribe Evrensel Newspaper from earning public ad revenue for 1000 days.
• Etkin News Agency has lost access 42nd time.