Turkish authorities have arrested several journalists critical of the government’s policies over the past two weeks – the latest being Fox TV Turkey news anchor Fatih Portakal who has been charged and faces imprisonment for a social media post critical of the government’s Covid-19 response. A total of 410 citizens have also been taken into custody for posting or sharing material about the coronavirus.
“Fatih Portakal and all other Turkish reporters and commentators must be free to voice their ideas on air and on social media, and to discuss matters of public interest,” demanded Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in a statement. “The charges against him must be dropped immediately, and journalists should not be forced to live in fear of being prosecuted over their commentary.”
Turkey is ranked 154th out of 180 countries in the RSF 2020 World Press Freedom Index and is the world’s biggest jailer of professional journalists according to RSF.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the state Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency filed criminal complaints against Portakal on 7 April, alleging that the journalist had posted “false social media messages to manipulate the public” after Portakal had posted an ironic tweet criticising the government’s campaign to raise funds to fight the pandemic. Portakal has more than 7 million followers on Twitter, where he often posts political commentary.
On 30 April, in response to the banking regulator’s complaint, an Istanbul court formally charged Portakal with damaging the “reputation, prestige or assets” of Turkish banks, a criminal offense under the country’s Banking Law.
If found guilty, the journalist may face up to three years in prison and judicial fines.
Portakal’s employer, Fox TV Turkey (a sister station to the US outlet), also came under fire when Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) banned the channel from broadcasting three prime time news episodes where the news anchor made statements deemed critical by the media regulator on 30 and 31 March and 1 April.
“RTÜK has by now proven that it is literally a tool of power. At today’s High Council meeting, as decided by the (president’s) Palace, the harshest punishments were given to all critical broadcasters (dissenting) for fabricating reports,” tweeted RTÜK member İlhan Taşcı, who announced the ban.
Portakal has been a thorn in Erdoğan’s side for a long time. In December, Istanbul prosecutors launched an investigation into Portakal for inciting criminal activity after he questioned, on air, the ability of Turkish people to protest freely.
“How many people will be able to take to the streets without fear?” Portakal said on Turkey’s Fox TV. “For the sake of God, can you tell me how many people would demonstrate? They are trying to discourage social opposition and keep it under pressure. It is a most natural right, but it cannot be exercised.”
Days later, President Erdoğan issued a warning to Portakal.
“Some person is out calling people onto the streets. Know your place and if you don’t know your place, then the people of this country will,” he said.
Although the next general election is not scheduled until 2023, Erdoğan is aware that much of his future electoral success will rest on the way he deals with the Covid-19 crisis. Turkey now has the seventh largest number of infections in the world with over 120,000 confirmed cases according to data from John Hopkins University.