ANKARA - The prosecutor's comments, not their own statements, were used as the reason for the arrest of journalists whose news stories, news posts and travels were the subject of accusations.
Mezopotamya Agency (MA) Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever, correspondents Deniz Nazlım, Berivan Altan, Selman Güzelyüz, Emrullah Acar, Ceylan Şahinli, and JINNEWS reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer, who were detained in Ankara on October 25, were arrested in the middle of the night on charges of "being a member of terrorist organisation".
MA reporter Zemo Ağgöz who was detained within the scope of the same investigation and Mehmet Günhan who worked as an intern in the Ankara office of MA for a while were released on the condition of judicial control and house arrest.
JOURNALISTS DID NOT GIVE A STATEMENT IN SECURITY DIRECTORATE AGAINST TORTURE
Journalists gave a statement at the prosecutor's office as the torture in house raids continued at the Ankara Police Department. In the interrogation of the prosecutor's office, the journalists were asked about the news stories they reported, their interviews with news sources, their social media posts, their colleagues and their travels. Journalists said in their statement to the prosecution that they did not give statement at the security directorate due to police torture.
PROSECUTOR TWISTED THE STATEMENT OF JOURNALIST DEĞER
JINNEWS reporter Öznur Değer was asked for what reason she shared the news stories about the Dedeoğulları family, who were murdered by murderer Mehmet Altun in Konya's Meram district. Öznur Değer's posts about forest plunder in Kurdistan were the reason for her arrest. Öznur Değer said that her news stories are social events, and the social media shares that include the news stories are within the scope of freedom of thought and expression.
JOURNALIST YURTSEVER ACCUSED OF SIMPLY REPORTING NEWS ON TV
Against the legal status of the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), the agency's Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever noted that MA is an agency established within a legal and legal framework. Yurtsever was asked how she knew her colleagues, Deniz Nazlım and Emrullah Acar, who were detained and arrested with her.
It was noteworthy that Diren Yurtsever's live news links for MA were made the subject of accusations.
INTOLERANCE FOR NAGIHAN AKARSEL
JINNEWS reporter Habibe Eren was asked from whom she received instructions to work at the agency. Stating that she is a woman-oriented journalist, Eren said that social media posts that are the subject of accusations are also within the scope of freedom of expression and thought. The prosecutor, who decriminalizes television connections regarding the murder of Nagihan Akarsel who was a journalist and a member of the Jineology Academy Center in Sulaymaniyah in Southern Kurdistan, asked Eren from whom she received instructions for this.
After Eren did not accept the words that she did not use in her statement to be recorded in the minutes, the prosecutor terminated the statement and did not have the report signed.
Journalists, who were brought to court after their statements by the prosecutor's office, were arrested based on the prosecutor's comments, not their own statements.