Arrest of Kurdish journalists: Türkiye must end 'equating journalism with terrorism,' says CPJ

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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on the authorities in Türkiye to drop charges against 10 Kurdish journalists, nine of whom have been remanded in custody since late October.

After months behind bars, the journalists were indicted on February 8. The CPJ said the indictment was made available to it and the journalists' lawyers on February 17.

"Turkish authorities' recent indictment of 10 journalists on terrorism charges is the latest in a long string of prosecutions of members of the press in retaliation for their reporting," CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said on Tuesday.

"The authorities should drop the charges, release all journalists imprisoned for their work, and put an end to equating journalism with terrorism."

Allegations

The journalists working for Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and the JINNEWS agency are charged with being a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). They are facing up to 15 years in prison.

The prosecutors alleged that the two agencies are directly linked to the PKK, including having financial ties, and cited more than 100 news articles about the PKK as evidence.

Other evidence used against the journalists included tapped phone calls, travel records, printed and digital material found at their homes and workplaces, social media posts, small financial transfers, and the testimony of a secret witness.

Resul Temur, an attorney for the journalists, told the CPJ that the evidence was "opinion-based" and "not solid."

Those indicted were: Mezopotamya News Agency editor Diren Yurtsever; Mezopotamya reporters Berivan Altan, Ceylan Şahinli, Deniz Nazlım, Emrullah Acar, Hakan Yalçın, Salman Güzelyüz, and Zemo Ağgöz Yiğitsoy, freelance journalist Öznur Değer; e JİNNEWS reporter Ümmü Habibe Eren; and former Mezopotamya reporting intern Mehmet Günhan. (HA/VK)