The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the largest organisation in the world representing journalists, said the terrorism charges brought against the 21 Kurdish journalists were “groundless”, and urged for the immediate release of all in a strongly-worded statement condemning the dawn raids and arrests in a massive operation in the Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakır (Amed) on 8 June.

The IFJ and its Turkish affiliates said the operation constituted a “use of terrorism to criminalise journalism”.

The full statement reads as follows:

“Turkish police arrested 21 Kurdish journalists and media workers in a massive operation in the Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakir on terrorism charges. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Turkish affiliates strongly condemn these massive arrests of journalists on groundless charges and urges for the immediate release of all of them.

“Police raided on 8 June the homes of several Kurdish journalists working for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, the all-female Jin News website, a production company called Pel, and the Dicle Firat Journalists’ Association.

“During the raids, police officers seized computers, hard drives and other work equipment from the journalists’ houses and media offices.

“All IFJ Turkish affiliates, Turkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası (TGS), Disk-Basin, Turkiye Gazetciler Cemiyeti (TGC) and Gazeteciler Cemiyeti Dernegi (GCD), unanimously condemned the arrest of the Kurdish journalists and the use of terrorism to criminalise journalism and urged for their immediate release.

Journalism is not terrorism

“The police told local media that the operation targeted the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK’s) ‘press committee structure’, accusing the arrested media workers of promoting terrorist activities.

“The Turkish authorities have disclosed no further information about the investigation, prompting a backlash from human rights groups and journalists’ unions over the lack of transparency.

“The arrested journalists announced they will continue working from their cells.

“‘The economic crisis is deepening, there are military operations in the works, and the presidential and parliamentary elections process for next year has started. Journalists follow these and report on them, that may be the reason for their detention,’ said Dicle Fırat Journalists Association co-chair Serdar Altan, who is among the 21 who were arrested. Journalists will not be silenced with such arrests”, he added.

“Journalists arrested include Serdar Altan, editors of the Mezopotamya and Jin News agencies Aziz Oruç and Gülşen Koçuk, Jin News Director Safiye Alagaş and several reporters from the two Kurdish-focused agencies, including Ömer Çelik, Suat Doğuhan, Ramazan Geciken, Berivan Karatorak, Esmer Tunç, Neşe Toprak, Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Mazlum Doğan Güler, Mehmet Şahin, Elif Üngür, İbrahim Koyuncu, Remziye Temel, Mehmet Yalçın, and Abdurrahman Öncü, Mezopotamya media reported.

“IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: ‘Turkish authorities continue to crack down on journalists, accusing them of practising terrorism. The IFJ strongly opposes these arrests and stands in solidarity with all Kurdish media workers currently in prison for doing their job. We call for their immediate release and the return of all confiscated work material. Journalism is not terrorism.'”