ISTANBUL: A Turkish prosecutor on Friday launched an investigation into a prominent TV news presenter less than two weeks after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasted the journalist, local media reported.
The prosecutor’s office said it was investigating Turkey’s Fox Haber channel’s Fatih Portakal for “openly inciting others to commit a crime” after the journalist speculated whether Turks could protest like those in the “Yellow Vest” movement in France, Hurriyet and Milliyet dailies said.
“Come on, let’s have a peaceful protest, a protest against ... rising natural gas fees. Come on, let’s do it. Would we be able to do it?” the journalist who has over six million followers on Twitter asked.
“For the love of God, tell me how many people would come out?” Portakal demanded as he speculated about the impact of Turks’ fears of protesting in a news program on December 10.
During anti-government protests in 2013, Erdogan was criticized for the police’s heavy-handed crackdown against demonstrators.
Portakal’s comments were interpreted by Turkish officials as a call for protests as the country is suffering high inflation. Consumer prices reached over 25 percent in October before falling to 21.62 percent in November.
Portakal had made the comments during a news segment about France’s “yellow vest” movement, which started as a demonstration against fuel price hikes in November but has since snowballed into broader anti-government opposition.
Erdogan has repeatedly criticized the journalist for his comments, saying in mid-December: “He is calling people to get out on the street. Know your place! If you don’t know your place, the people will teach you a lesson.”
Earlier this week, Turkey’s audiovisual authority RTUK fined Fox Haber Turkey for an undisclosed amount and said the channel had to suspend three future broadcasts of the primetime news show.
Fox Haber Turkey gives greater coverage to the opposition parties than other mainstream channels in an increasingly constricted media landscape in Turkey under the rule of Erdogan.
Fox Haber, which means Fox News in Turkish, is not linked to the Fox News Channel in the United States.
The investigation comes after two famous Turkish actors were accused of insulting Erdogan during a television program on Halk TV last week.
An Istanbul court on Monday released the two men on conditional bail after they were summoned to give statements to prosecutors.
Turkey’s allies and human rights defenders have raised concerns over a clampdown on freedom of expression under Erdogan, with dozens of journalists and civil society activists imprisoned.
Turkey probes prominent TV anchor
Turkey probes prominent TV anchor
- Turkey’s Fox Haber channel’s Fatih Portakal is being investigated for “openly inciting others to commit a crime”
- The investigation comes after two famous Turkish actors were accused of insulting Erdogan during a television program on Halk TV last week
Foreign media group slams Israel for refusing to lift Gaza press ban
- Foreign Press Association expresses 'profound disappointment' with Israeli government’s response to a Supreme Court appeal
- Israel has barred foreign journalists from independently entering the devastated territory since the war started
JERUSALEM: An international media association on Tuesday criticized the Israeli government for maintaining its ban on unrestricted media access to Gaza, calling the move disappointing.
The government had told the Supreme Court in a submission late Sunday that the ban should remain in place, citing security risks in the Gaza Strip.
The submission was in response to a petition filed by the Foreign Press Association (FPA) — which represents hundreds of journalists in Israel and Palestinian territories — seeking immediate and unrestricted access for foreign journalists to the Gaza Strip.
“The Foreign Press Association expresses its profound disappointment with the Israeli government’s latest response to our appeal for full and free access to the Gaza Strip,” the association said on Tuesday.
“Instead of presenting a plan for allowing journalists into Gaza independently and letting us work alongside our brave Palestinian colleagues, the government has decided once again to lock us out” despite the ceasefire in the territory, it added.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, triggered by an attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the government has barred foreign journalists from independently entering the devastated territory.
Instead, Israel has allowed only a limited number of reporters to enter Gaza on a case-by-case basis, embedded with its military inside the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The FPA filed its petition in 2024, after which the court granted the government several extensions to submit its response.
Last month, however, the court set January 4 as a final deadline for the government to present a plan for allowing media access to Gaza.
In its submission, the government maintained that the ban should remain in place.
“This is for security reasons, based on the position of the defense establishment, which maintains that a security risk associated with such entry still exists,” the government submission said.
The government also said that the search for the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza was ongoing, suggesting that allowing journalists in at this stage could hinder the operation.
The remains of Ran Gvili, whose body was taken to Gaza after he was killed during Hamas’s 2023 attack, have still not been recovered despite the ceasefire.
The FPA said it planned to submit a “robust response” to the court, and expressed hope the “judges will put an end to this charade.”
“The FPA is confident that the court will provide justice in light of the continuous infringement of the fundamental principles of freedom of speech, the public’s right to know and free press,” the association added.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the matter, though it is unclear when a decision will be handed down.
An AFP journalist sits on the board of the FPA.
