Turkey: multiple journalists arrested and detained

  • 28 Oct 2022

The NUJ has joined the International Federation of Journalists in urging for the immediate release of journalists held following home raids.

As part of “terrorism-related” investigations led by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 10 journalists had homes raided with reports of some flown to the floor with weapons pointed at them.

Diren Yurtsever, Selman Güzelyüz, Emrullah Acar, Hakan Yalçın, Berivan Altan, Zemo Ağgöz, Ceylan Şahinli, Mehmet Günhan (former reporting intern) from Mesopotamia Agency and Habibe Eren, Öznur Değer, Derya Ren from JINNEWS were arrested.

Raids took place across cities, and journalists of pro-Kurdish media outlets Mesopotamia Agency and JINNEWS were targeted as part of coordinated efforts by authorities. Computers and other equipment from Mesopotamia Agency were seized by police, and restrictions on lawyers have been imposed.

The union joins IFJ affiliates TGS and DISK Basin-Is in calling for an end to raids and for the immediate release of the journalists.

A joint statement from the IFJ and European Federation of Journalists said:

“We are highly concerned by this new development just a few weeks after the adoption of the new Disinformation law. We call for the immediate release of the journalists and urge the authorities to stop the crackdown on our journalists colleagues.”

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