Two directors whose films have been censored—Özkan Küçük and Bingöl Elmas— have come together to discuss the violations of freedom of expression targeting independent cinema in recent years, and the damage caused by these violations, focusing on the films “In the Trace of the Poetic Room” and “Rojbash,” both of which have been subject to various forms of intervention.
An appeal lodged by Anadolu Kültür AŞ against the ban on the exhibition opened at Depo in 2024 was resolved in 2025, with the ban imposed by the Beyoğlu District Governor’s Office being found to be unlawful. However, the District Governor’s Office appealed the decision, and the court ruled once again that the ban was lawful.
According to the 2025 global report by Freemuse, restrictions on artistic freedom have moved far beyond isolated incidents of censorship, becoming a “structural and institutionalized regime” that permeates nearly every part of the cultural sector.
The absence of a queer film section from the 44th İstanbul Film Festival program is a “change” according to İKSV, but censorship according to the LGBTI+ community
He appeared before the court again in a case in which he was accused of “terrorist organization propaganda” through photos he shared on social media and was acquitted four years ago.
The General Directorate of State Theaters changed the play staged under the title “Husband of My Wife” to “Marriage Comedy” after being targeted by HUDA PAR
The artist announced that a part of his work in the “Tek Yön” exhibition at the Beyoğlu Municipality Istiklal Art Gallery was removed after a viewer complained of “obscenity”
The General Directorate of Cinema of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism “did not approve the documentary for commercial circulation and screening”
Prisoner Baysal Demirhan, in the letter he sent to Özgür Gelecek newspaper, conveyed the arbitrary practices of the prison administration and the rights violations in prison, including censorship
We talked with Abdullah Keskin, Editor-in-Chief of Avesta Publishing House. The publishing house has been subjected to various bans on their publications in the last two decades. Our conversation took us on a tour of how they navigate through book bans, their struggle with overt and invisible censorship practices, and the history of the publishing house