Turkey’s opposition said the journalists’ detention was “an unprecedented disgrace” and accused the prosecutor of “trying to fabricate a crime.”
Ugur Koc, Berkant Gultekin and Yasar Gokdemir were all taken from their homes and detained for several hours
Turkish left-leaning BirGun newspaper said on Sunday that three of its journalists had been detained, accusing authorities of intimidation against the press.
BirGun editor-in-chief Ibrahim Varli wrote on X that journalists Ugur Koc and Berkant Gultekin, and their managing editor Yasar Gokdemir, were all taken from their homes late Saturday.
The trio were detained for several hours under anti-terror legislation over a story linked to Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, according to BirGun. The report had made reference to a journalist from the pro-government publication Sabah visiting chief prosecutor Akin Gurlek. The paper said that Sabah itself had also reported on this.
The anti-terror law in Turkey allows the prosecution of people found to have “targeted” people engaged in anti-terrorism activities.
‘Reporters Without Borders’ say detentions ‘unacceptable’
Authorities released the journalists after they appeared in court in Istanbul on Sunday. They were not formally arrested.
But media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Turkey’s main opposition CHP party both denounced the incident.
“This action, over a news story critical of ‘prosecutor impartiality,’ is unjustified,” Erol Onderoglu of RSF wrote on X, calling the detentions “unacceptable.”
Journalist detentions on the rise
Several legal probes on similar charges have been triggered in recent months by articles or comments regarding Akin Gurlek, Istanbul’s top prosecutor.
CHP opposition leader Ozgur Ozel said the detention of the journalists represented “an unprecedented disgrace.”
“Trying to fabricate a crime out of this is a sign of guilt,” Ozel alleged.
Ozel too has been targeted, having been placed under investigation in November for “insulting a public official” and “targeting individuals involved in counter-terror efforts” over remarks he made about Gurlek on the social media platform X.
Turkish MLSA media rights group said there are at least 30 journalists and media workers in prison and four under house arrest in Turkey.
In 2024, the organization said it monitored 281 freedom of expression trials involving 1,856
