Journalists covering pro-Kurdish protests detained in Turkey

Istanbul, January 22, 2026—Turkish authorities must release all journalists detained in recent days across Turkey and allow them to cover political rallies and protests unobstructed, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

Police in the cities of Şırnak, Istanbul, and Nusaybin interrupted political protests by Kurdish citizens of Turkey about renewed clashes between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces in Syria in recent days, and took several journalists into custody, one of whom was arrested by a court last week. Others remained in custody at the time of publication.

Police in the southeastern province of Şırnak detained Nedim Oruç, a reporter for the Kurdish-language outlet Ajansa Welat, on January 14, and a court arrested him on January 17, pending trial on the suspicion of publishing terrorist propaganda, according to reports and court documents reviewed by CPJ. He told the authorities that he had been planning to cover a protest that night.

“It is unacceptable that journalists following public events in Turkey have been taken into police custody and kept from doing their jobs,” said Özgür Öğret, CPJ’s Turkey representative. “Turkish authorities must release them all, including reporter Nedim Oruç. They do a vital job — informing the public about important events in the country.” 

Police in the Nusaybin district of southeastern Mardin province interrupted a march in solidarity with the Syrian Kurds and took six journalists into custody, according to news reports. CPJ was able to immediately identify three: reporters Pelşin Çetinkaya (JİNNEWS), Heval Önkol (Mezopotamya News Agency), and Kesira Önel (co-chair of Dicle Fırat Journalists Association). 

Authorities in Istanbul detained French freelancer Raphaël Boukandoura as he was following a rally by the pro-Kurdish DEM Party on January 19, and transferred him to a deportation center the next day, his lawyers told CPJ. He has lived in Turkey since 2015 and has a work permit. Boukandoura was released on January 21. 

CPJ’s emails requesting comment from the chief prosecutor’s offices in Şırnak, Istanbul, and Mardin did not receive replies.