Istanbul, March 24, 2025—Turkish authorities should immediately cancel the house arrest of award-winning investigative journalist and writer İsmail Saymaz over his reporting on the 2013 Gezi Park protests and stop using the judiciary to muzzle the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday.
On March 19, police took Saymaz, a freelance journalist and TV commentator who formerly worked for pro-opposition critical outlets such as Halk TV and Sözcü, into custody in a raid on his home in Istanbul. A court placed him under house arrest on March 21 on the charge of “assisting an attempt to overthrow the government” during the 2013 nationwide protests.
“İsmail Saymaz is among the most well-known journalists in Turkey. Putting him under house arrest for attempting to overthrow the government 12 years ago can only be seen as an absurd attempt to prevent him from reporting,” said Özgür Öğret, CPJ’s Turkey representative. “Turkish media should be able to provide reporting and commentary without fear of judicial retaliation.
Authorities’ plans in 2023 to redevelop Istanbul’s Gezi Park, triggered civil unrest across Turkey, which led to several people being killed and thousands injured during protests.
Saymaz’s lawyer said the journalist was questioned while in custody about his journalistic activity, contacts, and social media activity while reporting on the Gezi protests, including his communication with some of those convicted on charges of organizing the unrest, such as businessman Osman Kavala, lawyer Can Atalay, film producer Çiğdem Mater, and architect Mücella Yapıcı
Saymaz won an award for his reporting on the death of 19-year-old protester Ali Ismail Korkmaz in Gezi Park.
CPJ’s email to Istanbul’s chief prosecutor requesting comment did not receive a response.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.
CPJ Staff | Radio Free (2025-03-24T16:29:35+00:00) Prominent Turkish journalist İsmail Saymaz under house arrest for 2013 interviews. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2025/03/24/prominent-turkish-journalist-ismail-saymaz-under-house-arrest-for-2013-interviews/
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