‘Any report I make could mean a lawsuit against me’

Metin Yoksu (1986) was born in Kurtalan, a Kurdish town in eastern Turkey. He began his journalistic career in 2008 and was editor-in-chief of the cultural magazine Güney Kültür Sanat ve Edebiyat Dergisi from 2011 to 2014. After that, he worked for several other publications.

The journalist talks about the difficulties he faces as a reporter. The two main risks faced by journalists in the Kurdish region are harsh economic conditions and security problems. Kurdish journalists can only work for a limited number of media outlets, for low pay.

Convicted

Moreover, journalists can face imprisonment, violence and threats. “In 2016, I photographed two police officers beating two children. After that, I was chased, beaten and arrested by the same officers.” In the same year, police searched Yoksu's house. He was detained for about a month. Later, many more court cases would follow against him. In 2021, Yosku and four other journalists were sentenced to one year and eight months in jail for reporting on leaked e-mails of a former minister.

Until 2018, Yoksu reported on the situation of workers in Istanbul. He then moved to Batman, from where he wrote about environmental issues across Kurdistan. From 2018, he worked as a freelance journalist for Turkish opposition media and as a photographer for international media such as BBC, AFP, AP and EPA. He also made the documentary Siya Avê! (Shadow of Water) about Hasankeyf, a historic Kurdish town that disappeared underwater due to the construction of a dam. According to Yoksu, AP stopped working with him because of the many lawsuits against him. He still works as a freelancer and publishes his news on his own website: www.asopress.com.

Peace Journalism

Last June, police raided Yoksu's house again. When he went to the police station to give a statement, he was arrested and jailed. He was released after a month, but the case is still ongoing. The case is related to his coverage of the major earthquake in Turkey in early 2023. Upon his release, Yoksu was given a travel ban and a reporting obligation.

According to Yoksu, four cases are currently pending against him, including for his coverage of popular protests in his hometown Batman. He has been detained several times, sometimes without charge, and receives threats from authorities and police. Currently, Yoksu writes about the government's water policy, mining and energy projects, deforestation and forest fires. These are difficult topics because he works in areas where the army, police, and affiliated groups have imposed restrictions. Yoksu has also been charged several times with alleged propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers“ Party (PKK). He is also currently reporting on the peace talks underway between the PKK and Turkey. ”I try to practice peace journalism,“ says Yoksu. ”But I know that if this process breaks down, any report I make on this now could mean another lawsuit against me."

Press freedom in Turkey

Between January and March 2025, 90 first-instance court cases were pending against a total of 157 journalists. Of the 31 completed cases, 19 ended in convictions and 14 in acquittals. Collectively, the 28 convicted journalists were given more than 41 years in prison, plus a fine of 8850 Turkish lira (183 euros). Turkey is ranked 159th (out of 180 countries) in the World Press Freedom Index 2025.

This article was previously published by 360 Magazine.