MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE
Arrest of Elif Akkuş
RELATED PERSON OR INSTITUTION
Elif Akkuş
CITY
Ankara
YEAR OF INTERFERENCE
2023
LAST UPDATED
28/06/2024
TYPE OF STATEMENT
Political
MEDIUM
Television
THE TITLE OF WHOSE RIGHT IS INTERFERED
Journalist
RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Right to Impart Information and Ideas
TYPE OF INTERFERENCE
Judicial Interference
Criminal Courts
Approval of the indictment and initiating the prosecution
THE LEGAL GROUNDS FOR INTERFERENCE
Turkish Penal Code
Art. 267

Elif Akkuş, a 25-year TRT employee, was suspended on April 20 without any justification. Akkuş was not allowed to enter the TRT building after a three-month “suspension from duty”. Akkuş filed a lawsuit with Ankara 25th Administrative Court and started a legal process.

Akkuş, who was suspended without any justification after working at TRT for 25 years, was arrested by a judge on October 20 on charges of “unlawful acquisition or dissemination of personal data”, “blackmail” and “slander” following a complaint by TRT executives.

After the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance on duty ordered the release of Elif Akkuş, the veteran journalist was released from Sincan Women’s Closed Prison (November 16)

Akkuş, who was released after being jailed due to severe health issues gave a statement on 2 May 2024. Akkuş was later transferred to the criminal court of peace with a request to be placed in pre-trial detention (2 May).

Akkuş was released on June 28 after being arrested on the grounds of posts made on an anonymous X account regarding nepotism and misuse of public resources at TRT (28 June).