DİYARBAKIR- DFG and MKGP reminded that 15 journalists have been imprisoned for a year and stated that they will continue to write the truth against all pressures and obstructions.

 

Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform (MKGP), DFG Co-chair Serdar Altan, Mesopotamia Agency (MA) editor Aziz Oruç, Xwebûn Journalist Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş, journalists Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Ömer Ömer Çelik made a statement in front of the Diyarbakır Courthouse regarding Mazlum Doğan Güler, İbrahim Koyuncu, Neşe Toprak, Elif Üngür, Abdurrahman Öncü, Suat Doğuhan, Remziye Temel, Ramazan Geciken, Lezgin Akdeniz and Mehmet Şahin who was arrested on June 16, 2022. The executives of the Greens and Left Future Party (Green Left Party), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and many journalists participated in the statement.

 

A banner with photographs of imprisoned journalists was unfurled in the statement, in which the slogan "The free press cannot be silenced" was frequently shouted. The statement was read in Kurdish and Turkish.

 

'IT IS NOT LEGAL TO ARREST JOURNALISTS'

 

DFG member Selman Çiçek, who stated that there is a new pressure and obstruction against journalists who are the target of the government, said: " Journalists are being silenced. The government and the judiciary have intensely maintained their hostile approach towards the Kurdish and Kurdish press since the beginning of 2022 and they continue to do so. Our colleagues continue to be imprisoned despite the absence of a single evidence of crime, while many rights are denied. On June 16, 16 Free Press workers were arrested and sent to prison. Free press workers, against whom hundreds of pages of indictment have been drawn up for 'being a member of a terrorist organization', have been unlawfully imprisoned for a year."

 

'JOURNALISTS ARE PREVENTED FROM DOING THEIR JOB'

 

Reminding that a total of 7 journalists were arrested along with JINNEWS reporter Beritan Canözer, DFG Co-chair Dicle Müftüoğlu and Mesopotamia Agency (MA) editor Sedat Yılmaz during the May 14 elections, Çiçek said: "Journalists continue to be the voice of the society as a whole; therefore, 16 free press workers who aim to break the perception, not to create a perception like the media close to the government, and who are based on social journalism, are held in prison for a year and are prevented from doing their jobs."

 

Emphasizing that they will continue to write the truth as Free Press workers against all pressure, obstructions and arrests, Çiçek called for participation in the hearing of the journalists to be held on July 11.

 

The statement ended with the slogans "The Free Press cannot be silenced".

 

JINNEWS Editor-in-Chief Safiye Alağaş, who was arrested as part of the case, was released on the condition of judicial control in her first hearing held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court yesterday.