Journalist Depardon on 4th Day of Hunger Strike in Removal Center

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Mathias Depardon, a photo journalist from France who was taken into custody in Turkey's southeastern province of Batman has been on hunger strike since May 21.

Depardon had been taken into custody on May 8 in Hasankeyf district of Batman province while doing a report on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for National Geographic magazine.

Though his planned deportation was on May 11, Depardon is still being kept in a removal center in Oğuzeli district of Antep province and being charged with "propagandizing for an illegal organization" due to some photographs he had posted on Instagram.

37 year-old Depardon has been based in Turkey for the past five years and is in the process of renewing his press card.

Parliamentary question from CHP

In a parliamentary question submitted by Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP Barış Yarkadaş to Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım pointing out that Depardon was still being kept in detention despite a deportation order due May 11.

RSF: "Turkish authorities must end this kafkaesque situation"

Expressing Reporters Without Border's (RSF) concerns regarding Depardon being held in detention for the past two weeks, Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk said:

"The ordeal to which Mathias Depardon is being subjected is unacceptable and has lasted for too long. The Turkish authorities, who are responsible for his safety, must end this kafkaesque situation. We again urge the French government to intervene firmly to protect this photographer and obtain his release."

Joint letter from 21 media outlets and RSF to Ministry of Interior

RSF as well as 21 other media outlets and freedom of expression organizations sent a letter to Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu on May 19, demanding Depardon be released.

The letter pointed out that Depardon had been in Hasankeyf on a professional assignment to do a report on Tigris and Euphrates rivers for the National Geographic which was also confirmed by the magazine.

Noting that all below listed media organizations, which have also signed the joint letter have worked with Depardon and would describe him as a "highly professional and law-abiding journalist", the joint letter also said:

"We understand the legitimate security concerns in this area and we fully respect the law enforcement agencies' duty to protect Turkish citizens. But there is no ground to detain or deport Depardon. He should be allowed to continue his work in Turkey".

Signees of the joint letter are:

RSF, Association des Journalistes Professionnels (AJP, Belgique), Elle, L'Express, European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Le Figaro, L'Humanité, Internazionale, Libération, Mediapart, Le Monde, National Geographic, L'Obs, Le Parisien, Paris Match, Polka, Der Spiegel, Society, The Sunday Times Magazine, Télérama, Visa pour l'Image, VSD.

Click to read the full letter

(ÇT/DG)