Court Orders Release of Journalists Detained During İmamoğlu Protests

Seven journalists who were detained while covering protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu have been ordered released today.

Detained Journalists Expected to Be Released Soon

Most of the journalists, primarily photojournalists who documented police violence, were detained on March 25 in what many describe as a "conspiracy." According to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), these seven journalists were detained on charges of "violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstration Marches":

Yasin Akgül, AFP photojournalist
Ali Onur Tosun, Now Haber reporter
Bülent Kılıç, photojournalist
Zeynep Kuray, reporter
Kurtuluş Arı, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality photojournalist
Gökhan Kam, Bakırköy Municipality photojournalist
Hayri Tunç, reporter

Two Journalists in İzmir Still in Custody

In İzmir, photojournalist Murat Kocabaş and BirGün writer Barış İnce (head of the SOL Party's İzmir branch) were sent to court this morning. Yağız Barut was released last night after giving his statement, without being referred to the prosecutor's office.

Unions Celebrate Journalists' Release and Question Accountability

The DİSK Press Union stated in its announcement: "Now we ask: Who conspired against the journalists? Who are the police officers who took photographs in a way that their press cards and equipment were not visible? Will there be action taken against the judges and prosecutors who issued the detention and arrest orders? The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior cannot easily escape from this conspiracy! The Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) must immediately take action against members of the judiciary who made unlawful decisions."

Erol Önderoğlu, Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), also said:

"We find solace in the release decision for our journalist colleagues in Istanbul. We demand the immediate release of our colleagues who were detained in İzmir as a result of tremendous injustice and are now in their fourth day of detention. Journalism must not be interfered with!"

"Both the mass arrest of journalists and their collective release have once again highlighted the importance of professional solidarity, while exposing the deliberate, scandalous targeting of journalism and its social role. This is unacceptable! We demand the release of our colleagues in İzmir as well."

Detained Based on Manipulated Photos

The prosecutor in the journalists' case initially referred them to different criminal judgeships with a request for judicial control measures, but later changed the referral document and requested their arrest. The Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) and DİSK Press asked: "What is happening in Çağlayan?"

In his article yesterday (February 26), TGS President Gökhan Durmuş asked: "Did the prosecutor change his decision under orders?" and stated that a photo conspiracy was set up against the journalists. He explained that the photos included in the journalists' files as evidence had been cropped and said: "The photos were taken from such 'interesting' angles that... The cameras, video recorders, and microphones in the journalists' hands were not visible. The press cards hanging around their necks could not be identified."

Yesterday, journalists also asked Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç about their detained colleagues, to which Tunç replied: "We will look into their situation."

Source: bianet