Solidarity campaign with Kurdish media outlets following arrests: 'One article from each of you'

Demonstrators showed a banner with photos of the arrested journalist, which read, "Free press won't obey" (Photo: JINNEWS)

Click to read the article in Turkish

Members of journalism groups gathered yesterday (November 2) in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır to announce a solidarity campaign with the Kurdish media outlets targeted in recent "terror" investigations.

The campaign organized by the Mesopotamia Woman Journalists Platform (MKGP) and Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) calls on journalists across the country to write one news report or an article for the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and JINNEWS.

Twenty-six journalists working for the two outlets have been remanded in custody since late June on "terrorism-related" charges.

Most recently, nine journalists were remanded in custody following police raids across six cities on October 25.

In addition to the arrests, the police also seized all computers in the joint office of the MA and JINNEWS in Ankara, the capital, obstructing their reporting.

"Now it's time for action"

In a statement read out in Turkish and Kurdish outside of the DFG office in the Yenişehir district, the campaigners said, "See here the report card of the Republic! Twenty-six journalists have been arrested only in the last five months in operations organized by the government against the Kurdish media outlets.

"Besides, they were subjected to torture on the way from their houses to the jail. Rear-handcuffing them and trying to bow their heads by force, the police have also leaked to the press their images as such, trying to give a message to the remaining journalists.

"We, the journalists, doing our job, and in search of the truth, have received the message and we say: 'You should be afraid! You can never bow heads of those whose courage has been sharpened! And cowards die many times before their deaths. You will for sure give an account for this disgrace bowing your head low down!"

"Therefore we are there where all words fail; it is time for action. We want to announce and start a campaign. Just to spite those who attack the Kurdish media and especially the Mesopotamia Agency and JINNEWS where mostly Kurdish journalists work, you can send these outlets your reports and articles in order to show solidarity."

We are inviting all our colleagues to the "one report from each of you" campaign. Your reports and your articles will support us and help unchain journalism."

CLICK - BİA Media Monitoring Reports

CLICK - BİA Media Monitoring 3rd Quarterly Report: Now it's the time for 'disinformation' tactics to silence journalism

CLICK - BİA Media Monitoring Database

(EMK/PE/VK)