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
- FIJ
- Salle de presse
- Dernières infos
- EFJ Condemns New Wave of Repression, Arrests of Journalists in Turkey