On April 10, 2025, Turkish journalists Murat Ağırel (Cumhuriyet) and Timur Soykan (BirGün) were detained by Istanbul police following allegations of “threat” and “blackmail” made by Erkan Kork, a businessman incarcerated for illegal betting and money laundering.
The charges stem from a meeting between the journalists and Kork, during which they sought his response to reports about his involvement in illicit gambling operations. Both journalists assert that their actions were part of legitimate investigative journalism and that the accusations are attempts to suppress press freedom.
The investigation centers on Kork’s acquisition of Flash TV and his ownership of financial entities like PayFix and BankPozitif, which are alleged to have laundered over 4 billion Turkish Lira through illegal betting activities. Kork claims that the journalists’ inquiries and subsequent publications were intended to coerce him into abandoning the Flash TV purchase. However, both Ağırel and Soykan maintain that their work was based on public records and aimed at informing the public about Kork’s alleged criminal activities.
After their detention, the journalists were released under judicial control, including travel bans and regular reporting to authorities. The case has sparked concerns over press freedom in Turkey, with critics arguing that the legal actions against Ağırel and Soykan are part of a broader pattern of using the judiciary to intimidate and silence investigative journalists.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by journalists in Turkey, particularly those investigating organized crime and corruption. The use of legal mechanisms to target reporters underscores the precarious state of press freedom in the country.