Turkish journalism groups say independent outlets denied accreditation for a NATO summit in Ankara

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Several independent Turkish media outlets were denied accreditation to cover an upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, journalism groups said Thursday, calling the decision an affront to media freedoms.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to join other leaders from the 32-member alliance for the July 7-8 summit in the Turkish capital, during which allies will, among other issues, debate defense spending and attempt to project unity.

Turkish journalists from news organizations viewed as opposition‑leaning or independent — including Halk TV, Sozcu TV, Cumhuriyet newspaper, T24 news website and ANKA news agency — have been excluded from covering the summit, the Turkish Journalists' Association and other media solidarity groups said.

The journalists were neither given a reason for the rejection nor offered the opportunity to appeal the decision, the association said.

“Preventing certain media outlets from covering events of public importance undermines freedom of information and reporting,” the association said. “International organizations must act in line with the democratic values they claim to uphold.”

NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said in a statement posted on X that for summits held outside of its Brussels headquarters, the trans-Atlantic alliance relies on the host country to assess and approve journalists from that country.

“We are in contact with Turkish authorities on accreditation for the NATO Summit in Ankara. It is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person,” she said.

Turkish officials haven't commented on the accreditation issue.

Turkey is implementing wide‑ranging precautions in the lead‑up to the summit. Earlier this week, security forces detained more than 200 people suspected of links to extremist groups, the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office said.

But opposition parties and media reports said that a politician, an academic, a journalist and prominent LGBTQ activist, and lawyers were among those detained, calling for their release.

In a statement on Thursday, Human Rights Watch also criticized the detentions and urged NATO to ensure that basic democratic rights are respected during the summit.

“The misuse of terrorism laws to conduct mass arrests and silence people in the run-up to a NATO summit flies in the face of the founding values of the alliance,” said Benjamin Ward, the group’s deputy director for Europe and Central Asia. “The authorities should immediately release those detained, and NATO should insist that peaceful expression and assembly must be permitted around the summit.”

The Turkish government's Communications Directorate insisted on Thursday that those who were detained “were assessed to have been involved in activities connected to various terrorist organizations.”

FILE - Flags flap in the wind outside NATO headquarters in Brussels, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

The Florida Panthers ensured they would not lose any of their grit with A.J. Greer expected to leave in free agency by acquiring Garnet Hathaway from the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade Thursday.

Florida sent a fifth-round pick in the draft Saturday and a fourth-rounder next year to Philadelphia for the 34-year-old winger. Hathaway has one season left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $2.4 million.

Hathaway joins the Panthers fresh off them trading for Brady Tkachuk to unite him with brother Matthew after missing the playoffs following back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and '25.

Greer played a key depth role on the second of those title runs. Now 29, he could be a coveted addition when he hits the open market Wednesday.

The Washington Capitals made another move during their busy week, sending pending restricted free agent forward Hendrix Lapierre to rival Pittsburgh. The Penguins traded a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder for the 24-year-old who never fully realized his potential with the team that drafted him and may benefit from a change of scenery.

Washington subtracted after adding two potential difference-makers in trades for Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch.

With the first round of the draft Friday night, the wheeling and dealing is only expected to pick up. After sending Kyrou to the Caps for fellow forward Connor McMichael, the 16th pick and a prospect, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said the trade “allows the other 31 teams to digest what St. Louis is trying to accomplish and see if they can participate.”

“Instead of 12 hours, it allows them 48-plus hours to really dig into what they have and what we have and see if there’s a potential match there,” said Armstrong, whose team has a league-high four first-rounders. “Everyone knows what we have, and if they want to engage St. Louis at pick 1, 2, 3, 4, they know what we have and I would welcome the call.”

Toronto's John Chayka told reporters Wednesday the Maple Leafs listened to calls about the first pick but decided to keep it. They are expected to take Penn State's Gavin McKenna, a winger from the Yukon who has generated buzz for quite some time.

San Jose is worth watching closer after trading young forward William Eklund, who is cost-controlled through 2029, to Ottawa for the No. 9 pick, giving the Sharks another in the top 10 after No. 2.

“I think teams are curious to what what our plan was to do with 9,” GM Mike Grier said. “There's lots more calls on 9 and probably two more on 2 — one that's real interesting. ... All stuff for us to consider.”

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FILE - Philadelphia Flyers' Garnet Hathaway celebrates after scoring during the second period of Game 2 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)