ARRESTED JOURNALISTS

Today is May 3, World Press Freedom Day. In Turkey, where crackdown on media is increasing day by day, 159 journalists are currently in jail and almost 2,500 journalists are unemployed. Press organizations from Turkey and other countries released solidarity messages on the occasion of May 3.

The indictment against 5 jailed writers of Cumhuriyet daily is completed after 5 months. Today, Cumhuriyet daily stated that the elements of crime in the indictment consist of news articles and tweets and demanded immediate release.

Detained on February 14, Die Welt Turkey correspondent Deniz Yücel is arrested last night on the charge of “propagating for a terrorist organization and inciting hatred and enmity among people”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that the arrest is disproportionately harsh and disappointing.

As part of the case against shut-down Özgür Gündem newspaper’s executives and writers, novelist Aslı Erdoğan, linguist Necmiye Alpay and editor-in-chief of Özgür Gündem Zana Bilir Kaya are released in the hearing held today.

After Constitutional Court's decision of violation of right, 14th High Penal Court made a release decision. Journalists Erdem Gül and Can Dündar were released last night.