EFJ Condemns New Wave of Repression, Arrests of Journalists in Turkey

Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned the arrest of 38 journalists in Turkey, after a massive police operation that took place yesterday (see full list below).

"We are shocked by the scale of this latest example of state repression against journalists in Turkey" said EFJ President Arne König. "It shows again that despite public declarations about democratic standards by the Turkish authorities, the country is actually becoming one of the worst places in the world for journalists".

Yesterday, during a police operation across the country, several media outlets were closed and staff arrested (Özgür Gündem daily, BirGün daily, Vatan daily, Evrensel daily, Dicle News Agency, Firat News Agency, Etkin News Agency, Demokratik Modernite periodical). A photojournalist working for Agence France Presse, Mustafa Özer, was arrested at home.

These arrests came as 65 journalists were already in jail awaiting trials, most of the time under the pretext of allegations of terrorist activities.

Last month the EFJ led an international mission, in cooperation with other international press freedom groups, with the aim of showing support for the immediate release of all Turkish journalists who appear to have been jailed because of their work. The mission also wanted to express the serious concerns of international organisations to the Turkish government and politicians.

One of the trials of journalists will take place on 26 December and the EFJ President will attend to bring support and show European solidarity.

The names of the journalists arrested are as follows:
Arzu Demir (ETHA editörü), Ayse Oyman (Özgür Gündem), Berxwedan Yaruk (Demokratik Modernite Dergisi çalisani), Cihan Albay, Çagdas Kaplan (DIHA muhabiri-Istanbul), Çagdas Ulus (Vatan Gazetesi muhabiri), Çigdem Aslan, Davut Uçar (Etik Ajans Müdürü), Dilek Demirel (DIHA-Izmir), Ertus Bozkurt (Firat Dagitim çalisani), Evrim Kepenek (DIHA muhabiri-Van), Eylem Sürmeli (eski Özgür Gündem çalisani), Fatma Koçak (DIHA Yaziisleri Müdürü-Istanbul), Günes Ünsal (DIHA Ingilizce Servisi-Istanbul), Hamza Sümeli (Gün Matbaasi çalisani), Hatice Bozkurt (Özgür Gündem), Haydar Tekin (Firat Dagitim eski çalisani), Hüseyin Deniz (Gazeteci), Ismail Yildiz (Istanbul), Kenan Kirkaya (DIHA Ankara Temsilcisi-Ankara), Mazlum Özdemir (DIHA muhabiri-Diyarbakir), Murat Eroglu (DIHA eski çalisani), Mustafa Özer (AFP muhabiri), Nahide Ermis (Özgür Halk ve Demokratik Modernite Dergisi Yayin, Kurulu Üyesi), Nevin Erdemir (Özgür Gündem Gazetesi çalisani), Nurettin Firat (Özgür Gündem Gazetesi yazari), Oktay Candemir (DIHA eski çalisani), Ömer Çelik (BirGün gazetesi ve DIHA muhabiri-Istanbul), Ramazan Pekgöz (DIHA editörü-Diyarbakir), Sadik Topaloglu (DIHA muhabiri-Sanliurfa), Semiha Alankus (DIHA editörü-Diyarbakir), Sevinç Tuncelli (DIHA-Izmir), Sibel Güler (Özgür Gündem eski çalisani), Seref Sümeli (Firat Dagitimin eski çalisani), Yüksel Genç (Özgür Gündem), Zeynep Kuray (BirGün Gazetesi ve ANF muhabiri), Ziya Çiçekçi (Özgür Gündem Gazetesi Imtiyaz Sahibi ve Sorumlu, Yaziisleri Müdürü), Zuhal Tekiner (DIHA Imtiyaz Sahibi-Istanbul).

Together with its affiliate, the Journalists' Union of Turkey (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikas? - TGS), the EFJ has launched an international postcard campaign to express solidarity with jailed journalists. To date, over 700 individuals and organisations around the world have joined this Set Turkish Journalists Free campaign.

See the mission report here: http://europe.ifj.org/assets/docs/106/195/726b16a-59f86c3.pdf
Support the campaign here: http://europe.ifj.org/en/pages/turkey-campaign-set-journalists-free

The EFJ is the European group of the International Federation of Journalists
The EFJ represents over 260,000 journalists in over 30 countries.

For more information contact the EFJ at +32 2 235.2200