Winners of the TGC 2026 Press Freedom Awards Announced

The Press Freedom Awards, traditionally organized every year by the Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti (TGC), found their owners in 2026. The awards, which have been given since 1989 to honor individuals and institutions that make significant contributions to the struggle for press freedom, will again be awarded this year to pioneering figures in the field. As a result of the selection committee's evaluation, successful journalists İsmail Arı and Alican Uludağ were deemed worthy of the award in the individual category. In the institution category, T24 İnternet Gazetesi, Tele2 Haber Basın Emekçileri, and Cumhuriyet TV Basın Emekçileri were announced as the owners of this meaningful award. This decision once again highlighted how valuable independent journalism is under increasingly difficult conditions.

The selection committee, which determined the award winners, held an important meeting in İstanbul on 3 Temmuz 2026. The meeting was attended by leading figures of the sector such as Türkiye Yazarlar Sendikası Genel Başkanı Adnan Özyalçıner, TGC Başkan Vekili Doğan Şentürk, and Türkiye Yayıncılar Birliği Başkanı Kenan Kocatürk. In addition, avukat Nazan Moroğlu, Prof. Dr. Talat Kırış, Sibel Güneş, Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Vahap Munyar, and Prof. Dr. Yasemin Giritli İnceoğlu served as members of the committee. As a result of the voting and evaluations, Adnan Özyalçıner was elected as the chair of the committee and Sibel Güneş as the rapporteur. The committee meticulously identified the names that would contribute to independent journalism standards in Türkiye by thoroughly examining the candidates.

İsmail Arı, one of the journalists who won the award in the individual category, garnered great appreciation for his effective monitoring of public power and his reports on social sensitivities. His reports, which scrutinized religious sect and community structures, various rights violations, and judicial processes, were listed among the reasons for his being deemed worthy of the award, citing his contribution to the public's right to receive news. On the other hand, Alican Uludağ drew attention with his highly public-interest-oriented reports on the judiciary, security bureaucracy, human rights violations, and corruption files. Uludağ's determination to deliver the truth to the public despite all pressures and obstacles was praised by the selection committee. The work of both journalists plays a major role in protecting professional independence and disseminating accurate information.

The winners in the institution category reinforced the importance of broadcasting under difficult conditions. T24 İnternet Gazetesi was deemed worthy of this award for its courageous journalism on issues such as human rights violations, democracy, women's rights, the environment, and freedom of expression by maintaining an independent and pluralistic broadcasting approach. Tele2 Haber Basın Emekçileri was honored for its struggle to continue independent broadcasting following the appointment of a trustee to TELE1 and the arrest of Genel Yayın Yönetmeni Merdan Yanardağ. The Tele2 team, which continues broadcasting even under difficult conditions, earned appreciation for never giving up on the struggle for press freedom. Cumhuriyet TV Basın Emekçileri became the other owner of the award due to its broadcasting approach, which entirely preserved the principles of independent journalism by resisting pressure, censorship, and broadcast bans.

Meanwhile, the grand ceremony where the TGC Press Freedom Awards will be presented to their owners will take place on 24 Temmuz. The date of 24 Temmuz took its place in history as a symbol of the lifting of censorship in the Ottoman Empire with the declaration of the II. Meşrutiyet in 1908. Türkiye Gazeteciler Cemiyeti started to commemorate this date as "Basın Özgürlüğü İçin Mücadele Günü" in 1971 and has continued this tradition by strengthening it over the years. The ceremony held every year stands out both as a celebration that crowns the sacrifices of press workers and as an important opportunity to defend democratic rights. This year's awards are also expected to create strong public awareness regarding the place of the independent press in society and the importance of free expression.