Arrest of journalists is black spot in Turkish history: CHP head

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (L) , leader of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) speaks front of Cumhuriyet Newspaper's headqurters on November 29, 2015 in Istanbul during a demonstration after the arrest of their Editor in Chief. AFP Photo

Turkey’s main opposition party leader has said the recent arrest of two prominent journalists was a “black spot” on the country’s democratic history.  

“Imprisoning two journalists is a black spot in our history of democracy,” Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on Nov. 29, upon his visit to the office building of daily Cumhuriyet in Istanbul’s Şişli district.

Kılıçdaroğlu’s supportive visit came as Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Can Dündar and Ankara Bureau Chief Erdem Gül were arrested over the daily’s coverage of a story on Syria-bound trucks full of weapons, which were purportedly owned by the Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MİT).