Mesopotamian Agency (MA) reporters İdris Sayılğan and Naci Kaya were detained on 29 February, who went to Edirne to following up on the refugees crossing the border. Sayılğan and Kaya, who were detained on the grounds of “reporting in the forbidden area”, were referred to court and Sayılğan was arrested by Erzurum Regional Court of Justice. Kaya is still under custody on suspicion of escape even though he was released by the court.

 

In addition, Rûdaw reporter Rawin Stêrk and cameraman Mehmet Şirin Akgün are still detained.  9 journalists who were detained yesterday were released after their statements being taken by the police.

 

Lawyer Zelal Pelin Doğan from the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) pointed out that it is unlawful for journalists to be detained and arrested while performing their professional activities. Recalling the European Council of pressure on the press in Turkey is also included in the report of European Council from 2018, Doğan said: "The deprivation of journalists' rights and freedoms due to their professional activities points to this extraordinary pressure that still continues in 2020."

 

Turkey Press and Printing Workers' Union (DISK Basın İŞ) Secretary General Özge Yurttaş said the government is trying to hide what is happening at the borders by detaining journalists. Yurttaş said: "The journalists there are trying to inform the public about the situation at the borders. Turkey is announcing ridiculous numbers regarding the people passing the borders and trying to save themselves by manipulating the European Union from the situation they landed themselves in the Middle East.They don't want their plans to unfold by the journalists telling the truth.  What is being done is to ensure the inhumane conditions and the truth stay hidden."