One more reporter arrested

ISTANBUL

Some 16 people, including daily Evrensel reporter Sadiye Eser, were arrested on Dec. 15 after a series of raids conducted in Istanbul.

Seven of the detainees were released after proceedings in the police and prosecutor’s office, while the rest were sent to Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse. Six of the nine defendants, including Eser, were put in prison Dec. 13 on the grounds that they were members of an illegal organization.

Number of arrested journalists

Some 71 journalists still remain behind bars in Turkish prisons, journalists from the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) have said, adding that they were concerned about the current state of press freedom in the country, during a meeting of the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) held Dec. 5. With Eser’s arrest, the number of imprisoned journalists in Turkey has risen to 72. According to data gathered by the association trials of many other reporters’, released are ongoing.

TGC deputy chair Turgay Olcayto has recently commented on the fourth judicial package, which is mainly focused on eliminating the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) rulings that concern the violation of human rights in Turkey and is expected to pass Parliament soon. “Unfortunately, I am not very hopeful about this package,” he said, adding that the Turkish Penal Code and the Anti-Terror Law must be immediately reformed. “Those incidents are a shame for Turkey,” Olcayto said.