Watchdog: Turkey has fearful journalism climate

An international media freedom watchdog says that while Turkey has released many journalists from prison recently, the government is creating a more fearful climate for critical media.

The chairman of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Sandy Rowe, and counterparts from the International Press Institute are meeting Turkish officials Thursday, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

CPJ has previously cited Turkey for being the world's worst offender for imprisoning journalists. But Rowe said all but 10 journalists have been released, though some conditionally.

Still, after discussions with journalists in Turkey, she said the government has failed to stop intimidation of journalists who have published critical material.

"What we have heard from them consistently is that the overall conditions and climate of fear and intimidation that many journalists feel has increased," she said.