Media crackdown continues ahead of May 14 elections

As the parliamentary and presidential elections of May 14 draw near, persecution of news outlets and journalists, specifically those with Kurdish links, continues.

Sedat Yılmaz, writer and editor for Mesopotamian Agency (MA) and Bia Children's book, as well as his spouse Selma Yılmaz, were taken into custody on April 29 in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır. Additionally, Dicle Müftüoğlu, MA Editor and Co-Chair of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) was also detained.

Mesopotamian Agency covers news and events relating to the Kurdish population and other minorities in Turkey. The agency's journalists are frequently subjected to arrests and detentions. The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) defends press freedom and the rights of journalists, particularly those who work in Turkey's southeastern regions.

Physical violence

Yılmaz and Müftüoğlu have been apprehended as part of an investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, with warrants issued against 49 individuals across 15 provinces on April 29. After their detainment, the journalists were transferred to Turkey's capital by bus.

According to the MA Agency, Yılmaz and Müftüoğlu were handcuffed throughout the 15-hour drive and were not provided with any food for 24 hours. Reportedly, Yılmaz was subject to physical violence during the journey, including being kicked in the head, causing him to experience hearing loss and severe pain in his ear.

'No interference can obscure the truth'

In handwritten notes given to their lawyers on April 30, Yılmaz and Müftüoğlu emphasize the necessity for solidarity.

"I am perfectly fine, cheerful, and strong. Submitting and bending our pen to drug lords and the mafia is not an option for us. What I expect from you is to strengthen our solidarity. I also saw my friend Dicle Müftüoğlu, and she sends you her regards. Currently, my wife, my sister, and I are incarcerated. We had to leave our 13-year-old daughter with our acquaintances in Diyarbakır. Greetings and best regards," Yılmaz writes.

"We are once again facing an attempt to silence us, continuing a tradition that has lasted for over 30 years. Five journalists were arrested in an operation in Diyarbakır, just two days ago. Despite those who persistently are trying to criminalize us with similar operations for years, our search for truth continues. No interference can obscure the truth. We call on my colleagues to defend journalism against all these blackout operations, " Müftüoğlu penned down.

Just a few days before the crackdown led by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, arrest warrants on charges related to terrorism were issued against 286 individuals by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. At least 128 individuals, including journalists, politicians, and lawyers, were apprehended across 21 provinces. A majority of the detentions occurred during the early morning on April 25.

In addition, n Kadıköy, İstanbul, six journalists were detained while making a statement supporting their incarcerated colleagues. They were later released that same evening.

'All signs point to May 14'

Cuma Daş, the Secretary General of DFG, emphasized in an interview with bianet on April 29 that the recent crackdowns and intimidation targeting journalists should be viewed in the context of the upcoming elections and asks for solidarity.

"When we look at the operations carried out today (April 29) and on April 25, all signs point to May 14. ... It is not sufficient to look at the detention and imprisonment of journalists only from a numerical perspective. Even if one journalist is detained without a reaction, the number increases to five the next day and ten the day after. It seems that they are expanding their scope. It is time to speak up, and the greatest antidote to these attacks is solidarity, which should be strengthened. Otherwise, this silence paves the way for further repression.''

(WM)