Paris, April 8 (NationPress) A prominent global press freedom organization has vehemently criticized Turkey's implementation of digital censorship against exiled journalists, urging the government to halt its "repressive measures".

Characterizing this as an extension of the ongoing suppression of journalists who have already fled the country, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) highlighted that digital censorship is increasingly weaponized to silence media professionals in exile.

The organization reported that at least five reporters faced online targeting in 2025, with their social media accounts censored from Turkey, while four of them are at risk of facing prison terms due to "unjust" prosecutions—some of which have lingered for over a decade.

“Exiled journalists are already grappling with legal battles against them in Turkey, and last year, they encountered a specific campaign of censorship aimed at suppressing their social media presence in the country. The claim of threatening national security—a common pretense in Turkey—is increasingly being exploited to stifle the online dissemination of information by exiled journalists,” remarked Erol Onderoglu, RSF's representative in Turkey.

Onderoglu called upon the Turkish authorities to “cease the relentless effort to undermine media professionals and their exclusion from the online news arena,” stating that this is denying the Turkish populace their right to trustworthy information.

In a statement of concern, RSF pointed out that the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a “deep-rooted, systematic intimidation” strategy against journalists that extends beyond Turkey's borders.

Furthermore, 2025 was marked by a wave of digital censorship aimed at several exiled media figures, whom the Turkish government has labeled as “nemeses”.

These individuals included Can Dundar, the founder of the news platform Ozguruz; Metin Cihan, an independent journalist; Amberin Zaman, a correspondent for Al Monitor; Erk Acarer, a journalist and YouTuber for Ozguruz; and Hayko Bagdat, a journalist and author.

RSF criticized the government's crackdown on these media figures, stating, “Their alleged crimes are merely acts of journalism: reporting on heavy-duty trucks transporting ammunition to jihadist factions in Syria under the oversight of Turkish intelligence services a decade ago, as well as how maritime trade with Israel persisted despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, alongside articles and social media posts that challenge President Erdogan's political and economic strategies.”