A leading global advocate for press freedom has slammed Turkey for deploying cyber censorship against journalists forced into exile. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) demands an immediate halt to these ‘suppressive measures’ that extend Turkey’s authoritarian grip online.
The organization views this as a natural progression in the persecution of media figures already banished from the country. Social media blocks are increasingly used to erase their digital footprints, with 2025 seeing around five such incidents. Shockingly, four of these journalists could soon be jailed over fabricated charges dating back over ten years.
‘Security threats’ serve as a pretext to censor content, according to Erol Önderoğlu of RSF Turkey. Exiles last year faced coordinated efforts to wipe their Turkish social media accounts, amid ongoing legal harassment at home. This pattern systematically intimidates and discredits journalists worldwide.
RSF lists prominent targets: Can Dündar of Ozguruz, Metin Sıhan, Amberin Zaman from Al-Monitor, Erk Acarer, and Hayko Bağdat. Their reporting – on Syrian arms convoys, Israel trade amid Gaza conflict, and Erdogan’s leadership – is branded criminal under vague national security laws.
President Erdogan’s administration has perfected this blend of legal and digital warfare, RSF charges, robbing citizens of credible news sources. Önderoğlu’s plea underscores a broader crisis: without intervention, Turkey’s information ecosystem will remain choked, fueling isolation and misinformation.
