{"id":112471,"date":"2026-06-19T22:42:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T22:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/112471\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T22:42:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T22:42:16","slug":"turkish-presidency-revokes-journalists-press-card-over-nonexistent-criminal-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/112471\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkish presidency revokes journalist\u2019s press card over nonexistent criminal record"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Turkish presidency\u2019s Directorate of Communications has revoked the press card of journalist \u0130smail Ar\u0131, citing a criminal record that official documents show does not exist, the Birg\u00fcn daily reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to Ar\u0131, officials from the directorate informed him verbally that his press card had been revoked on March 21, coinciding with the day he was detained. The officials also told him that he could get his card back if he obtained a document showing he had been cleared in the ongoing case against him.<\/p>\n

Ar\u0131 was detained on March 21 and arrested<\/a> the following day on accusations of spreading disinformation and violating confidentiality through his online commentary and social media posts involving family members of President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan as well as alleged irregularities in state bodies and the judiciary. Prosecutors are seeking<\/a> a prison sentence of more than eight years.<\/p>\n

He was released pending trial at the first hearing of his trial on June 5 after spending 75 days in pretrial detention at Ankara\u2019s Sincan Prison.<\/p>\n

Announcing the revocation on social media, Ar\u0131 said his press card had been cancelled while he was jailed because of his journalistic work.<\/p>\n

Sadece gazetecilik yapt\u0131\u011f\u0131m i\u00e7in 75 g\u00fcn cezaevinde tutuldum. Ben cezaevindeyken \u0130leti\u015fim Ba\u015fkanl\u0131\u011f\u0131 bas\u0131n kart\u0131m\u0131 iptal etmi\u015f. Gerek\u00e7e ise \u201cadli sicilimin\u201d uygun olmamas\u0131ym\u0131\u015f\u2757\ufe0f <\/p>\n

Benim h\u00fck\u00fcm giydi\u011fim tek bir davam dahi yok. Sadece mesleki faaliyeti nedeniyle cezaevine at\u0131lan bir\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/a8gUrUqyP3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u0130smail Ar\u0131 (@ismailari_) June 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He also shared a copy of his criminal record certificate, which showed no convictions, adding the comment \u201cSpotless.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey\u2019s Press Workers Union (D\u0130SK Bas\u0131n-\u0130\u015f)\u00a0criticized the decision, saying it opposed attempts to hinder Ar\u0131\u2019s journalism through administrative measures. \u201cA press card is not a privilege that governments can use to exert pressure on journalists; it is a professional tool,\u201d the union said.<\/p>\n

Gazeteci \u0130smail Ar\u0131\u2019n\u0131n bas\u0131n kart\u0131n\u0131n, hakk\u0131nda herhangi bir mahk\u00fbmiyet karar\u0131 ve adli sicil kayd\u0131 bulunmamas\u0131na ra\u011fmen \u201cadli sicil\u201d gerek\u00e7esiyle iptal edilmesi, bas\u0131n \u00f6zg\u00fcrl\u00fc\u011f\u00fc a\u00e7\u0131s\u0131ndan kabul edilemez.<\/p>\n

Gazetecilik faaliyetleri nedeniyle 75 g\u00fcn boyunca tutuklu kalan ve ilk\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/9Qt688ojS2<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 D\u0130SK Bas\u0131n-\u0130\u015f (@diskbasinis) June 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Veteran Turkish journalist Yavuz Baydar, who lives in exile, also criticized the move, saying press cards should neither be granted nor revoked through government approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch a system exists in totalitarian regimes,\u201d Baydar said, adding that in democratic countries press credentials are issued by journalists\u2019 unions, professional organizations and media outlets rather than governments.<\/p>\n

40 y\u0131l oldu anlatamad\u0131m.
Bas\u0131n kart\u0131 devlet\/h\u00fck\u00fcmet onay\u0131 ile ne verilir ne de geri al\u0131n\u0131r.
Bu sistem totaliter rejimlerde vard\u0131r.
Bas\u0131n kart\u0131n\u0131 demokrasilerde gazeteci sendikalar\u0131, meslek \u00f6rg\u00fctleri, medya kurulu\u015flar\u0131 verir.
TR\u2019de hi\u00e7 sar\u0131 bas\u0131n kart\u0131m olmad\u0131.
Reddettim. https:\/\/t.co\/6bNuZecLMJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 YavuzBaydar (@yavuzbaydar4) June 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Press cards are widely regarded as essential professional credentials in Turkey, as they facilitate access to official events, court hearings and the Turkish Parliament.<\/p>\n

Turkey\u2019s Press Cards Commission was subordinated to the presidency following the country\u2019s transition to an executive presidential system in 2018. An amended regulation introduced in 2021 was challenged by the journalists\u2019 organizations, citing concerns over the broad administrative discretion of the Directorate of Communications in the issuance and revocation of press cards as well as reduced representation of professional journalism bodies on the Press Cards Commission.<\/p>\n

In 2021 the Council of State suspended parts of the regulation, but following an appeal by the Directorate of Communications, the Council of State\u2019s Administrative Litigation Chambers lifted the suspension in 2022. Amid ongoing objections and criticism, a revised regulation entered into force in April 2023.<\/p>\n

Since the transfer of authority to the presidency, numerous journalists critical of President Erdo\u011fan and his government have reported having their press cards revoked or their renewal applications rejected. Press freedom groups and journalists\u2019 organizations have long criticized the system, arguing that it enables the government to exert control over journalists through accreditation procedures.<\/p>\n