Journalist Derya Okatan Detained

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Artı Gerçek TV reporter Derya Okatan was detained today (February 21) during a morning raid by the police. After searching the journalist's home, the police took him to the Anti-Terror Branch of Ankara Security Directorate.

Artı Gerçek TV said that Okatan was detained because of her social media posts.

Her last story was on police assault

In her last news story, Okatan interviewed Merve Demirel, who said she was sexually assaulted by a police officer while she was being taken into custody in a demonstration in capital Ankara.

On her interview, Okatan tweeted, "Merve is a young and strong woman. She stands still against police harassment: 'They try to put the shame on women. The shame is on them.'"

On February 16, four people including Merve Demirel staged a demonstration in Ankara. The police detained all of them. The protesters later shared images and videos of the incident. The images allegedly show a police officer sexually assaulting Demirel.

Merve Demirel filed a complaint against the officer who took her into custody.

The Press, Broadcast and Print Workers' Union of Turkey (Basın-İş) made a statement on Okatan's detention, saying, "One more colleague of ours is under custody for delivering the truth to the people. Derya Okatan should be immediately released. Not journalists, but those who violate human rights should be prevented from freely being in the public."

Minister Soylu: We won't let them persecute our police

Ankara Security Directorate said in a statement that demonstrators Merve Demirel, N.B, A.K, G.B, A.Ş. were "trying to provoke and expose the security officers by sharing the video of the detention and cutting out a specific part from the video."

Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu also made a statement this morning on Twitter, saying, "If you stage an illegal demonstration, you'll be 'frogmarched' after warnings. If there is harassment, we will be the first to address that. But we won't let those who pass their lives by harassing those who don't think like them to persecute the police through 'a project woman whose father was dismissed because of FETÖ* and sibling is a DHKP-C** member."

Okatan is also being tried in another case

Derya Okatan is being tried at the İstanbul 29th Heavy Penal Court for reporting on then-Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Beral Albayrak's alleged email conversations, which were hacked by the Redhack group. She is one of the six journalists who are charged with "terrorist organization membership", "terrorist organization propaganda", "blocking, breaking information system, changing or destroying data." (AS/VK)

*Fethullahist Terrorist Organization, which is held responsible for the coup attempt in July 2016.

**Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front, an organization deginated as terrorist by Turkey.