Journalist Süleyman Gençel detained at home

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Journalist Süleyman Gençel was detained at home in İzmir province today (September 23).

"I'm being taken into custody again. From home. The reason is not clear. We'll look at that," he wrote on Twitter.

After giving a statement to the police, he was referred to the prosecutor's office of cyber crimes at the İzmir Courthouse.

Journalism organizations, including the DİSK Basın-İş union, demanded the immediate release of Gençel, the editor-in-chief of the A3 Haber news portal.

Gençel was attacked in 2013 in İzmir. It was alleged that Nükhet Hotar, then vice-chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party, instigated the attack. Hotar is currently the rector of İzmir's 9 Eylül University.

Journalist Gençel filed an application with the Constitutional Court about Hotar last week.

Previously, Gençel reported about a criminal complaint filed by Hotar against Serkan Kurtuluş, the alleged leader of a crime scheme named the "FETÖ stock market."

In her petition of complaint, Hotar stated her address as the rector's office in İzmir and work address as the AKP's Presidency of Social Services in Ankara. (HA/VK)