ISTANBUL — Two prominent Turkish journalists faced arrest on Thursday amid allegations that their newspapers considered unfounded, attributing these actions to their professional activities. Timur Soykan of BirGun and Murat Agirel of Cumhuriyet were taken into custody at their residences by Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, on charges of threats and blackmail.
These newspapers, which have been outspoken critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government, have provided extensive coverage of incidents such as the March 19 arrest and later jailing of Istanbul’s mayor. This incident has sparked Turkey’s largest protests in over a decade.
Journalists in Turkey have been under increasing pressure, with more than a dozen having been detained following the coverage of these protests, which had been officially prohibited by authorities. During searches of the journalists’ Istanbul homes, police scrutinized computers and other digital equipment, as reported by Cumhuriyet.
Legal counsel representing both journalists, Enes Ermaner, condemned the detentions which occurred early in the morning, noting that prior arrangements had been made for their voluntary appearance to give statements on the same day. “Detaining individuals who are scheduled for testimony and are known to comply is not only unlawful, but clearly shows that Enemy Criminal Law is being applied,” wrote Ermaner on social media.
Following medical checks, Soykan and Agirel were taken to Istanbul’s police headquarters. Authorities can hold them for up to four days, yet no court appearance dates were immediately announced. According to Cumhuriyet, the prosecutor’s office justified their detention due to the potential risk of the suspects fleeing or tampering with evidence.
Reacting to the situation, BirGun stated, “Regardless of the stated reasons, it’s evident that our colleagues were detained for transparently exposing the unlawful acts during the judicial processes since March 19 and for challenging the deceitful system imposed on the country.” The publication highlighted that Soykan was to receive a journalism award that evening, underscoring that the government’s real target seems to be journalism and truth itself.
As he was transported, Soykan vocally declared, “The gangs will lose, the people will win. All of this will end.” Opposition voices echoed this sentiment; Burhanettin Bulut from the Republican People’s Party criticized the judicial system’s use as an oppressive tool against governmental critics and independent media.