“Presumption of Innocence” Amendment Targets Press Freedom: Escalating Restrictions Reached Their Peak in 2026

“Presumption of Innocence” Amendment Targets Press Freedom: Escalating Restrictions Reached Their Peak in 2026

The Human Rights Platform (HRP) draws attention to the recent amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law, publicly debated as the “presumption of innocence” regulation, which constitutes a serious interference with freedom of expression and press freedom. By exposing journalists to the risk of criminal sanctions for using names and visuals in news reporting that serves the public interest, the amendment directly targets journalistic activity and weakens the watchdog role of the press. This approach clearly contradicts established international human rights standards and jurisprudence on freedom of expression.

General Trend: Multi-Layered Pressure

This development should not be assessed in isolation. Monitoring conducted by HRP since 2022 demonstrates a steadily increasing pattern of violations in the field of freedom of expression, with this trend reaching its peak in 2026. In recent months in particular, journalists and media outlets have been targeted through coordinated digital interventions carried out via social media platforms, including account suspensions, content removals, and broadcasting interruptions.

At the same time, amendments to the Criminal Code and Cybercrime Law seek to further narrow the space for freedom of expression through vague criminal definitions and severe sanctions. Moreover, as observed during both the fibre optic infrastructure process and the amendment process concerning the “presumption of innocence” regulation, non-transparent and non-participatory decision-making processes continue to weaken democratic oversight mechanisms.

Journalists as the Primary Target

Our monitoring findings clearly show that journalists and media organisations are the first and most direct targets of the shrinking democratic environment. When all these developments are considered together, it becomes evident that interventions against freedom of expression are no longer isolated or temporary, but have acquired a systematic and multi-layered character. The “presumption of innocence” amendment represents the latest and most visible link in this process.Subjecting journalists to criminal sanctions merely for carrying out their professional duties will deepen self-censorship and directly undermine the public’s right to access information.

As the Human Rights Platform, we call for the “presumption of innocence” regulation to be brought into line with freedom of expression standards; for all legal provisions criminalising journalistic activity to be reviewed; for digital and administrative interventions targeting freedom of expression to be effectively investigated; and for decision-making processes to be restructured in a transparent, participatory, and human rights-based manner.

Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of a democratic society. Every restriction in this field represents not only a loss of rights for journalists, but for society as a whole.