Şebnem Fincancı, Erol Önderoğlu and Ahmet Nesin were arrested yesterday, because they worked as editors-in-chief on watch for Özgür Gündem newspaper. EU, Human Rights Watch, PEN and EuroMed released press statements about the arrests. They demand immediate release.
EU,
HRW, PEN and EuroMed released press statements expressing their
reactions against the arrest of Human Right Foundation of Turkey
(TİHV) Chair Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Reporters Without Borders
(RSF) Turkey representative and bianet rapporteur Erol Önderoğlu
and journalist author Ahmet Nesin.
EU: a violation of
freedom of media
European Union Foreign
Policy Chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes
Hahn released a joint statement. Mogherini and Hahn, in their
statement, reminded that the arrest of three journalists and
representatives of human rights organizations goes against Turkey's
commitment to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of media.
Also, the importance of the presumption of innocence is pointed out
and it is emphasized that Turkey, as a candidate country for EU
membership, must aspire to the highest possible democratic standards
and practices and secure the human rights.
HRW: the ones who have
key roles must be released
HRW
emphasized that “The decision to demand the detention of
Önderoğlu, Fincancı, and Nesin is a shocking new indication that
the Turkish authorities have no hesitation about targeting well-known
rights defenders and journalists who have played a key role in
documenting the sharp deterioration in human rights in the country."
Stating that the EU and US governments should speak out strongly
against this vicious campaign of intimidation, HRW remarked that
three journalists and activists should be released immediately and
the investigation dropped.
EuroMed: put an end to
the harassment of all human rights defenders and journalists
EuroMed
also emphasized that the arrested people must be released
immediately. It is stated that the
physical and psychological integrity of Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Erol
Önderoğlu and Ahmet Nesin must be guarenteed and Turkey must "put
an end to all acts of harassment, intimidation against all human
rights defenders and journalists, including those at judicial level."
