Journalist Raphaël Boukandoura was arrested on Monday, 19 January, while covering a demonstration in the Sarigazi district in the southern outskirts of Istanbul. This seasoned journalist, recognised for the rigour of his reporting on current affairs, holds a permanent press accreditation issued by the Turkish authorities and has been working in the country for several years.

His arrest, followed by the threat of deportation, comes as journalists in the country face increased pressure, particularly those covering social and political movements. Treating journalism as a criminal offence constitutes a direct attack on press freedom, which is guaranteed by the international conventions to which Türkiye is a party.

“It is unacceptable for French journalist Raphaël Boukandoura to be threatened with deportation after being taken into police custody as he attempted to cover the protest in Istanbul. Raphaël Boukandoura has permanent press accreditation and has been residing in Türkiye for a long time. He is a seasoned journalist covering current affairs and cannot be treated like a criminal. This serious and outrageous injustice must be remedied.

Raphaël Boukandoura was simply doing his job as a journalist while attempting to cover a demonstration called by the pro-Kurdish DEM party that was deemed “unauthorised” by the authorities. Interrogated the same night of his arrest by the Sarigazi Security Directorate — who he clearly informed that he was a journalist — he is now accused of having violated Law No. 2911 on meetings and public demonstrations as well and the anti-terror law. According to his lawyer, he now risks being transferred to a migrant detention centre on 20 January (Directorate General of Migration Management) for possible deportation to France.

Three journalists are currently detained in Türkiye, which ranks 159th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index.