Turkey: journalists arrested in dawn raids
Kurdish media and political opposition in the country have been targeted in dawn raids led by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office
The National Union of Journalists has joined the International Federation of Journalists in condemning raids on 25 April at the homes and offices of 128 people including journalists, lawyers and political activists in Turkey.
Ten journalists have been arrested and computers, books and documents they own has been confiscated by police. Among them are Abdurrahman Gök, Mesopotamia News Agency (MA) editor and reporters Ahmet Kanbal and Mehmet Şah Oruç. Osman Akın, editor-in-chief of Yeni Yaşam daily newspaper Osman Akın; the publisher of the only Kurdish print newspaper in Turkey, Xwebûn Weekly, Kadri Esen; JinNews reporter Beritan Canözer, and journalists Mehmet Yalçın, Mikail Barut, Salih Keleş and Remzi Akkaya.
Detail of the charges against those detained has not yet been disclosed, as according to the Diyarbakır Bar Association a confidentiality order is in place alongside a 24 hour restriction on access to lawyers.Arrest warrants have reportedly been issued against 216 people in the operation state-run Anadolu agency states is related to anti-terror investigations.
The NUJ is backing calls by the IFJ for the release of the journalists, access to legal representation provided and for full disclosure of any charges brought.