Journalists Murat Ağırel, Aydın Keser and Ferhat Çelik Arrested

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Previously released on probation over a news report about the funeral of a National Intelligence Organization (MİT) official who lost his life in Libya, daily Yeni Çağ columnist Murat Ağırel and Yeni Yaşam Managing Editor Aydın Keser and Editor-in-Chief Ferhat Çelik have been arrested.

Earlier yesterday (March 8), Ağırel announced that a new arrest warrant was issued against him in relation with the news, for which he had deposed and been released on probation the other day.

Turning himself in to the İstanbul Security Directorate later in the day, Ağırel has been arrested by the İstanbul 5th Penal Judgeship of Peace.

Released on probation as part of the same investigation, journalists Aydın Keser and Ferhat Çelik also went to the security directorate upon being informed about the new detention warrants against themselves. Keser and Çelik have also been arrested by the court.

Ağırel: I am expecting everything

Ağırel announced the warrant against him in a video that he captured on his way to the security directorate. Ağırel said:

"I was at a book fair in Ankara. On my way back, I heard a sad news. The prosecutor's office issued an arrest warrant against me again. And the police decided to put that into effect in 4.30 in the morning. As they could not find me home, they raided the house of my ex-mother-in-law and summoned my ex-brother-in-law to the Security Directorate on Vatan Avenue, telling him that he had to sign a police report. They were held captives there, in a sense. They called me for 3-4 times, asking me when I would be there.

"I am now on my way to Vatan Avenue, they will probably arrest me. I do not know whether it is a new file, whether it is something related with the file from Friday, or something else... I am expecting everything."

Yeni Çağ newspaper also stated, "An arrest order has been given for our columnist Murat Ağırel as part of the file, from which he was released before. The order has been issued by the İstanbul 9th Penal Court of Peace upon the objection of the prosecutor's office. Ağırel is now undergoing the related procedures in Vatan Security Directorate."

Two journalists from Yeni Yaşam

Yeni Yaşam Managing Editor Aydın Keser and Editor-in-Chief Ferhat Çelik, who were previously released on probation as part of the same investigation, have also been arrested upon the objection of the prosecutor.

Keser was taken into custody in a house raid early in the morning yesterday and taken to the İstanbul Security Directorate on Vatan Avenue.

Ferhat Çelik also tweeted a message on his way to depose: "As the security could not find me home, they called me. The prosecutor objected to our release. My attorney and I am going to Vatan Security Directorate. We will not surrender the torch that we inherited from Musa Anter. Truths will not remain in darkness, we will not deviate from our principle."

3 Odatv journalists also arrested

Odatv news director Barış Terkoğlu and reporter Hülya Kılınç were arrested on March 4 over a news report about the burial of a National Intelligence Organization (MİT) official who was killed in Libya.

The news report on the burial of the official in Akhisar, Manisa was published on Odatv news website on March 3. Odatv editor-in-chief Barış Pehlivan was also summoned to depose on March 6 and arrested on the same day.

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has announced that access to Odatv news website has been blocked from Turkey as of March 5. (AS/HA/SD)