9 Journalists Arrested in ByLock Investigation

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11 journalists were taken into custody on August 10 as a part of an investigation launched by the İstanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office. The journalists were referred to the İstanbul 13th Criminal Judgeship of Peace yesterday (August 17) for arrest.

9 of the journalists have been arrested and imprisoned. They are: Yasir Kaya (former Fenerbahçe TV News Director), Ömer Faruk Aydemir (former Chief of Information of İhlas News Agency News), Mutlu Özay, Cüneyt Seza Özkan (editorial directors of now-closed Samanyolu News) , Burak Ekici (BirGün internet editor), Mehmet Ali Ay, Muhsin Pilgir (correspondents of now-closed Zaman newspaper and Cihan News Agency), Sait Gürkan Tuzlu (correspondent of now-closed Cihan News Agency) and Ahmet Feyzullah Özyurt.

According to the court decision, "the suspects were identified to have used the secret and encrypted communication software ByLock used among members of the armed Fethullahist Terrorist Organization".

Vatan Newspaper page designer Yusuf Duran and former columnist in Türkiye Newspaper Ahmet Sağırlı, who were also among the detained journalists, have been released on probation. Duran and Sağırlı will be under house arrest during the trial. (EA/DG)