Close Menu
News JournosNews Journos
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Europe News
  • Finance
  • Turkey Reports
  • Money Watch
  • Health
Editors Picks

Trump Expresses Anger Towards Putin

March 30, 2025

Justice Kagan Criticizes Trump Lawyer as Courts Reject Case

May 15, 2025

Harris Criticizes Trump and Musk, Warns of Threats to Democracy in NAACP Speech

February 24, 2025

U.S. Defense Secretary Affirms Commitment to Allies Amid Chinese Pressure

May 31, 2025

U.S. Advances Toward Comprehensive Agreement with Mexico to Resolve Longstanding Sewage Crisis in Popular Tourist Destination, EPA Reports

May 11, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Latest Headlines:
  • James Comey Indicted for Perjury in Trump-Russia Investigation
  • Armed Mob Stages Smash-and-Grab Heist at California Jewelry Store
  • Super Typhoon Ragasa Strikes Hong Kong and Southern China, Leaving 14 Dead in Taiwan
  • Luxury Camper Van Features Full Kitchen and Bathroom for Apartment-Style Living
  • Turning Point Tour Resumes Impactful Messaging Following Charlie Kirk’s Passing
  • Greening Cities: Will Urban Streets Determine the Fate of the Green Deal?
  • Trump Alleges UN Sabotage Involving Escalator and Teleprompter
  • Syria’s President Warns Israel’s Actions May Alienate U.S. Allies
  • MLB to Implement Robot Umpires in Challenge System Next Season
  • Kimmel Addresses Controversy in First Monologue After Show’s Hiatus
  • Seasonal Hiring Projected to Hit Lowest Level Since 2009, Analysis Shows
  • French Foreign Ministry: New Initiative Aims to Advance Peace and Revive Two-State Solution
  • Jimmy Kimmel’s Ratings Soar to Highest Levels in Years After ABC Return
  • Warren Suggests Trump’s Rolex Tennis Invite May Be a Bid for Favoritism
  • AI-Based Study Tools Boost CFA Exam Pass Rates
  • Nexstar Reviews Show Status for ABC Affiliates
  • Bondi Facilitates Transfer of Former Death Row Inmates Commuted by Biden
  • Security for Charlie Kirk Lacked Rooftop Authority, Spokesman States
  • Health Experts Dismiss Claims Linking Tylenol to Autism
  • Verified Accounts Become New Target for Scammers Seeking Credibility
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
News JournosNews Journos
Subscribe
Thursday, September 25
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Europe News
  • Finance
  • Turkey Reports
  • Money Watch
  • Health
News JournosNews Journos
You are here: News Journos » Turkey Reports » State-Led Assault Leaves Turkish Press for Dead at 159th Place
State-Led Assault Leaves Turkish Press for Dead at 159th Place

State-Led Assault Leaves Turkish Press for Dead at 159th Place

News EditorBy News EditorMay 10, 2025 Turkey Reports 3 Mins Read

The 2025 World Press Freedom Index has delivered its annual verdict, and for Turkey, it is a declaration of national shame. In a new historic low, Turkey has fallen to 159th place out of 180 nations, firmly entrenching it in the “very serious” category—the bottom rung of the global ladder, reserved for regimes where journalism is treated not as a profession, but as a crime.

This is not a statistic. It is the final, damning report card on a two-decade project of systematic deconstruction, meticulously executed by the AKP government under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to dismantle the free press and, with it, a core pillar of the Turkish Republic. When the AKP came to power in 2002, Turkey was ranked 99th. Today, it stands in the company of the world’s most repressive autocracies. This is not a decline; it is a controlled demolition that has set the nation back a hundred years.

The report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) confirms what we, the few remaining independent journalists, live every day: a multi-front war waged against truth itself. The Erdoğan regime’s strategy is built on two primary weapons: economic strangulation and judicial terror.

As RSF Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu rightly points out, “without economic independence, there can be no free press.” The government has perfected a system of financial apartheid. State advertising revenue, public contracts, and financial lifelines are funneled exclusively to a vast network of pro-government media conglomerates. These outlets serve not as watchdogs, but as the propaganda arm of the palace. Simultaneously, independent publications are starved of resources, driven into bankruptcy, or forced to close, creating a media landscape where critical journalism is a financially unsustainable act of defiance.

The second, and more brutal, weapon is the judiciary itself. The courts in Turkey have been transformed into instruments of political revenge. Vaguely worded “anti-terror” laws and the infamous Article 299 (“insulting the president”) are used as legal cudgels to imprison, intimidate, and silence any journalist who dares to investigate corruption, question state policy, or expose inconvenient facts. Physical attacks and threats against reporters have become commonplace, fostered by a climate where critical journalists are publicly branded as traitors and terrorists by the highest levels of government.

This is the direct consequence of a deeply ingrained, authoritarian, and dogmatic ideology that views a free and pluralistic press not as a component of democracy, but as a direct threat to its absolute power. For Erdoğan, a journalist with a notebook is more dangerous than an army, because that notebook contains the one thing his regime cannot tolerate: accountability.

The slow-motion destruction of Turkish media is more than just a professional tragedy for journalists; it is a catastrophe for Turkish society. When the fourth estate is silenced, the public’s right to know is extinguished. Corruption flourishes in the darkness, state crimes go unpunished, and the government operates without any meaningful checks and balances.

This ranking is a testament to the failure of a system, but it is also a testament to the resilience of those who refuse to be silenced. Every shuttered newspaper, every jailed reporter, and every censored website is a scar on the face of the nation. The fight for press freedom in Turkey is not merely about the rights of journalists; it is a fight for the very soul of a modern, secular republic against the forces that seek to drag it back into an age of darkness and despotism.

Authoritarianism Censorship Human Rights in Journalism Media Freedom Press Freedom Recep Tayyip Erdogan RSF Index Turkey
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link Bluesky
News Editor
  • Website

As the News Editor at News Journos, I am dedicated to curating and delivering the latest and most impactful stories across business, finance, politics, technology, and global affairs. With a commitment to journalistic integrity, we provide breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert insights to keep our readers informed in an ever-changing world. News Journos is your go-to independent news source, ensuring fast, accurate, and reliable reporting on the topics that matter most.

Keep Reading

Turkey Reports

Melih Gökçek Faces New Controversy Over Latest Banner

6 Mins Read
Turkey Reports

Journalist Faces Disinformation Case After Report on Deportation Center Abuse

6 Mins Read
Turkey Reports

President Erdoğan’s Speech Cut Short by Technical Issues

6 Mins Read
Turkey Reports

Last-Minute Earthquake Tremors Felt Across Balıkesir, İzmir, and Istanbul

5 Mins Read
Turkey Reports

Landslide Warning Raises Alarm in Black Sea Region

4 Mins Read
Turkey Reports

Turkey Will Not Return Siloam Inscription to Israel, Erdoğan Declares

5 Mins Read
Journalism Under Siege
Editors Picks

Nationwide Protests Planned in 800+ Cities Against Trump Parade

June 14, 2025

Trump Officials to Discuss Trade with Chinese Counterparts

May 6, 2025

Tesla Showroom in Texas Attacked with Incendiary Devices, Police Report

March 25, 2025

Judge Questions Trump Administration’s Compliance with Deportation Flight Redirection Order

March 17, 2025

Iran Warns U.S. Involvement in Israeli Strikes Could Trigger All-Out War

June 18, 2025

Subscribe to News

Get the latest sports news from NewsSite about world, sports and politics.

Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest Vimeo WhatsApp TikTok Instagram

News

  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Europe News
  • Finance
  • Money Watch

Journos

  • Top Stories
  • Turkey Reports
  • Health
  • Tech
  • Sports
  • Entertainment

COMPANY

  • About Us
  • Get In Touch
  • Our Authors
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Accessibility

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

© 2025 The News Journos. Designed by The News Journos.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Ad Blocker Enabled!
Ad Blocker Enabled!
Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please support us by disabling your Ad Blocker.
Go to mobile version