Who are the nine arrested Kurdish journalists?

Click to read the article in Turkish

On October 25, eleven were journalists working for two Kurdish media outlets, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and JINNEWS, were detained in simultaneous house raids across six cities.

The journalists were arrested on October 28 on suspicion of "being a member of a terrorist organization" in what was the second large-scale investigation targeting Kurdish media outlets in four months. In mid-June, 16 journalists were arrested in Diyarbakır on the same charge. 

The arrest of the journalist and Şebnem Korur-Fincancı, head of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), sparked protests in the country the next day. The International Press Institute (IPI) condemned the action, stating that Türkiye regularly abuses anti-terror law to target journalists, The institute called on Türkiye to release all journalists immediately.

Nine of the 11 journalists are still remanded in custody.

Diren Yurtsever

Yurtsever is the editor-in-chief of the Mezopotamya Agency and a member of the Mezopotamya Women Journalists Platform (MKGP).

Yurtsever's house has been raided multiple times and searched before. Yurtsever was detained at Sabiha Gökçen Airport on 15 August on the grounds of a search warrant. She was released on the condition that she testifies within two days.

While trying to follow the Kobani case hearing held in Ankara on April 26, 2021, Yurtsever was held back by the police and subject to physical violence.

On October 20, 2017, the police raided her house in Ankara. She was detained and later released after giving a statement on 23 October.

Berivan Altan

Altan was a reporter for the Dicle News Agency (DİHA). In the aftermath of the 2016 coup, Dicle News Agency was closed by decree on October 29, 2016.

Subsequently, Altan started working in MA. She was tried, investigated, detained, and her house was raided.

On February 25, 2017, she was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months for "membership in a terrorist organization" and 10 months for "propaganda" by the Mersin High Criminal Court in 2014.

Altan was detained again in Mersin on 11 August 2017. A lawsuit was filed against her for propaganda on the basis of news and a music video made in DİHA on social media on 25 May 2016 and 12 June 2016.

The Mersin 9th High Criminal Court sentenced Altan to 1 year and 3 months in prison on December 5, 2017. Altan was again detained, for 8 days, on 26 November 2019.

On June 2, 2022, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against her on the charge of " inciting people to hatred and enmity or humiliating " for her news article titled " Racist attack on Kurdish family in Ankara: Women and their children were removed from the neighborhood ". As part of the investigation, she testified at the Ankara Police Department.

Deniz Nazlım

He was also a DİHA reporter before it was down by the Decree. Afterward, he began working in the Ankara office of the Mezopotamya Agency. He was detained many times, as well as his house, was raided. His personal and workplace digital materials were confiscated.

He was detained on 14 August 2017 due to saying, "There will be action". One day before the 24 June 2018 elections, a similar denunciation resulted in a detention order. He was released after the prosecution's statement.

On 16 June 2022, 16 journalists were arrested in Diyarbakir. Journalists Sibel Yukler and Yıldız Tar were battered and detained while campaigning for their release and making a press statement in Ankara. Nazlım's house was raided as part of the operation in Ankara. He was not at home.

The police threatened his family. In one of his interviews, he said, "We are honored to insist on the truth. The journalist must find the truth and make it to be read, no matter where. We are on our mission, and we will come."

Hakan Yalçın

Yalcin is a correspondent for the Mezopotamya Agency. In the Xaçort (Hacibekir) Neighborhood in Van on 2 October 2022, Yalcin attended a march that women's organizations held for Mahsa Amini, who was killed by the morality police in Iran. He was beaten and prevented from making news.

Emrullah Acar

Acar is a correspondent for the Mezopotamya Agency.

On 19 November 2021, Acar's house in Urfa was raided in an investigation conducted by the Malatya Public Prosecutor's Office for "membership in a terrorist organization". He was taken into custody after a house search. During the raid, his computer and camera cards were confiscated. He was released on 24 November. He followed the Şenyaşar family in Urfa. Members of the Şenyaşar family were killed in a fight between them and the relatives of an AKP deputy during the 2018 election campaign.

Habibe Eren

JINNEWS reporter. Eren took part in the jury of the Musa Anter Journalism Awards.

Öznur Değer

JINNEWS reporter.

Ceylan Şahinli

Mesopotamia Agency correspondent, mostly doing video news. Şahinli was detained while following the banned 1 May demonstrations in Ankara.

Selman Güzelyüz

A correspondent for Mezopotamya Agency. (HA/WM/VK)