The “State of the World’s Human Rights 2025/2026” report by Amnesty International, that covers 144 countries, has revealed a deepening pattern of systematic rights violations in Turkey, particularly in the fields of journalism, media and freedom of expression. The report emphasizes that the politicization of the judiciary and a culture of impunity have intensified pressure on journalists, media outlets, lawyers, and human rights defenders.
Journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders targeted
According to the Amnesty International (AI) report, at least 50 people – including journalists, political activists, lawyers, and human rights defenders – were detained in Turkey in February, while 30 were arrested. Amnesty International highlighted this as a concrete indicator of growing pressure on freedom of expression.
The report also notes ongoing pressure on civil society organizations. It records the dismissal of the executive board of the Istanbul Bar Association and the continuation of a closure order against the Migration Monitoring Association.
“Turkey has increased unfounded investigations, prosecutions, and convictions against human rights defenders and continued to defy binding rulings of the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights calling for the release of prisoners of conscience,” the report states.
Police intervention in peaceful demonstrations
The report documents rights violations during police interventions against peaceful demonstrations. It highlights the widespread use of excessive force by law enforcement, including beatings, tear gas, and plastic bullets, and stresses that effective investigations into these violations have not been carried out.
Media outlets also in focus: TELE1, LeMan and artists
The report underscores that pressure on freedom of expression is not limited to individual journalists. The seizure of TELE1 in October and the arrest of its Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ are cited as among the most striking examples of pressure on media organizations.
The arrest of staff from LeMan in June and a lawsuit filed against singer Mabel Matiz are also included in the report as violations of freedom of expression in the cultural sphere.
Law, politics, and media pressure intertwined
Amnesty International points out that pressure on the media runs parallel to judicial processes targeting political opposition. The report notes that Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is being tried in a politically motivated case. It also cites the continued imprisonment of figures such as Selahattin Demirtaş, Osman Kavala and Tayfun Kahraman despite rulings by the European Court of Human Rights and the Constitutional Court, as examples of the weakening rule of law.
Freedom of expression and assembly systematically restricted
According to the report, as the executive’s influence over the judiciary increased, freedoms of expression, assembly, and association were systematically restricted throughout the year. It reiterates that the use of tear gas, plastic bullets, and physical force during police interventions in peaceful protests has become widespread, and that effective investigations into these incidents are lacking.
The banning of planned demonstrations in İstanbul on International Women’s Day and the detention of more than 100 people, as well as bans on May Day and Pride marches, are also cited in the report in the context of freedom of expression.
Amnesty International warns that media, civil society, and human rights defenders in Turkey are being subjected to systematic pressure through judicial processes and administrative decisions. The report stresses that this situation stems not only from individual violations but from a broader structural decline. While evaluating Turkey’s situation alongside global human rights violations, it concludes that although freedom of expression is deteriorating worldwide, Turkey is among the countries where the harshest restrictions are being experienced.
