NEWS CENTER - DFG made a statement regarding the continuation of the detention operations against journalists and said: “Our co-chairperson Dicle Müftüoğlu and journalist Sedat Yılmaz should be released immediately. You will not be able to bend the pen of the truth, you will not be able to silence the free press."

 

Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) made a statement regarding the detention operation, including journalists, lawyers and politicians, in 21 Diyarbakır-based cities, and the detention of journalists again in the Ankara-based operation this morning.

 

It was stated in the statement that 4 out of 10 journalists detained within the scope of the 25 April Amed-based operation were arrested, and that 6 journalists were released on condition of judicial control.

 

Emphasizing that the questions asked to the journalists in the related operations and the accusations made are only the news they made, the statement said: “Unfortunately, we, as journalists, woke up to another operation this morning, while we were still in front of the courthouse corridors and courthouse. Our association's co-chairperson, Dicle Müftüoğlu, and Mesopotamia Agency (MA) editor Sedat Yılmaz were detained after their houses were raided. Our co-chairperson Dicle Müftüoğlu is a journalist who takes his breath away in the courthouse even in the slightest pressure on journalists. As a matter of fact, she has been in front of the Diyarbakır Courthouse for days and has been in solidarity with her colleagues.

 

RELEASE JOURNALISTS

 

The statement continued: “30 of our colleagues have been arrested in operations against Kurdish journalists in the last 10 months. Dozens of our colleagues were also detained. We also know that this operation is a continuation of the operations aimed at freedom of expression, the right to receive information, the free press and silencing Kurdish journalists. There is no doubt that these operations, which were carried out days before the most critical elections in the history of the country, have no other name than the election operation! These operations against journalists must be stopped immediately. The Free Press has faced a thousand and one oppressions for more than 30 years, yet it did not give in, did not bend its pen. The workers of the free press, whose only goal and motto is 'truth', will not bow down today either! These moves aimed at suppressing journalism and the public's right to receive information are futile. Our co-chairman Dicle Müftüoğlu and journalist Sedat Yılmaz should be released immediately. You will not be able to bend the pen of the truth, you will not be able to silence the Free Press.”