The Association of European Journalists (AEJ) strongly condemns the politically motivated conviction and the so-called “surrender” order issued against Şener Levent, a veteran Turkish Cypriot journalist and editor-in-chief of Afrika newspaper, following a court ruling in Turkey. This alarming development constitutes a grave violation of press freedom, freedom of expression, and the fundamental principles of justice in any democratic society.
Mr. Levent’s prosecution — for publishing a satirical cartoon and exercising his journalistic voice — exemplifies the ongoing repression of critical journalism and dissenting opinion, extending even beyond Turkey’s borders into the occupied northern part of Cyprus. The extraterritorial enforcement of such a sentence, lacking any transparent legal process or mutual judicial standards, sets a dangerous precedent for the silencing of journalists across Europe and beyond.
We consider any attempt to jail Şener Levent as an act of political persecution. The AEJ stands in full solidarity with Mr. Levent and calls on the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations to condemn this outrageous abuse and demand the immediate reversal of this judicial assault.
We will not stay silent while our colleagues are punished for speaking truth to power. Journalism is not a crime — and in Europe, it must never be treated as such.
Association of European Journalists (AEJ)
July 2025
