Journalists in Turkey commemorated Murdered Journalists Day on 6 April, honouring over 67 journalists who have been killed since 1909 for their reporting work. The date marks the death of Hasan Fehmi, regarded as the first journalist in the country to be assassinated for his work.
Fehmi, a columnist for Serbesti newspaper, was shot dead on Galata Bridge in İstanbul after criticising the Committee of Union and Progress in his writings. His killing helped spark the 31 March Uprising that same year. Each year, members of the Turkey Journalists’ Association (TGC) gather at his grave in Çemberlitaş and visit the Press Museum’s gallery dedicated to killed journalists.
In her speech at the ceremony, TGC General Secretary Sibel Güneş said: “We will not allow the murder of journalists—a disgrace to democracy—to be forgotten.” She called on parliament to establish a commission to investigate journalist killings.
The Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (DFGD), which monitors press violations, highlighted that a significant number of killings targeted Kurdish journalists. In the last five years, 15 journalists were reportedly killed during Turkish military operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and in cities in Kurdish-led North and East Syria.
In a report, DFGD recorded that in March 2025 alone, 21 journalists were detained, 8 were arrested and 17 reported ill-treatment. Access was also blocked to hundreds of news items and social media posts.
Media advocates continue to demand justice for high-profile victims such as Musa Anter, Hrant Dink and Metin Göktepe, many of whose murderers remain unidentified or unprosecuted.
