21 January 2026

The pending deportation from Turkey of French journalist Raphaël Boukandoura threatens to set a disturbing precedent for press freedom. Boukandoura was detained Monday night in Istanbul while covering a protest organized by the DEM Party for the French newspaper Libération. He was accused of chanting slogans, and taken to a deportation center yesterday. Lawyers with the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) have filed an objection against the decision for administrative detention and deportation.

An accredited foreign journalist with a press card and residence permission issued by the Turkish government, Boukandoura has been living and working in Turkey for a decade as a freelancer for various French publications including Ouest France and Courrier International. He has a Turkish-national spouse and young child. International press freedom organizations including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Press Institute (IPI) have both called for his immediate release.

FMA stands with Raphaël Boukandoura and calls on the Turkish government to allow journalists of all nationalities to be able to report freely. Covering a protest or any other newsworthy topic should not be grounds for deportation and treating journalism as a crime diminishes freedom of expression and the public’s right to know.