Press freedom in Turkey (2002-2017)

This study aims to analyze the validity of criticisms against Turkey's ruling AK Party (Justice and Development Party), which was able to successfully carry out democratization reforms until 2010. These criticisms include authoritarian transformation of the country, imprisonment of too many journalists compared to developed countries and political pressures upon media institutions and journalists. These claims will be analyzed on the basis of literature review, journal and internet news, Turkish and international journalist associations' reports and statistical data as well as in-depth interviews made with media workers or people who are specialized in media studies. This study used "competitive authoritarianism" as its theoretical model to explain AK Party's authoritarian system and pressures upon the media. This study concludes that Turkey needs to make urgent reforms to provide democratization, rule of law and neutrality in legal system and in order to that, government, opposition and Turkish society should come together and take necessary steps.