Turkey: Two journalists released after 92 days in jail

Turkish journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül have been released today  after 92 days in jail. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) warmly welcomed the ruling of Turkey’s Constitutional Court on 25 February stating that the rights of Cumhuriyet newspaper journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül had been violated. The court also pointed at the lack of justification for jailing the 2 journalists. Dündar, editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet, and Gül, the newspaper’s Ankara bureau chief, were arrested on 26 November 2015 on charges of aiding a terrorist organisation, espionage and disclosure of classified documents. The decision of the Constitutional court is based on violations of Article 19 (“right to personal liberty and security”), Article 26 (freedom of expression) and Article 28 (press freedom)) of Turkey’s Constitution. Both journalists were released at around 3 am this morning from Istanbul’s Silivri detention center but prosecution against them continues. They received strong support from local and international colleagues, trade unionists and press freedom organisations since the beginning of their arrests. The IFJ and EFJ are now calling the Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Can Dündar and Erdem Gül and to release the 30 other journalists still held behind bars. More on IFJ/EFJ's actions to support the journalists here.