Journalist Sezgin Kartal arrested

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Journalist Sezgin Kartal has been remanded in custody for "being a member of an illegal organization," the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) reported.

Kartal was detained on January 10 during a police raid on his home in İstanbul.

This morning (January 13), he was brought to the İstanbul Courthouse. In line with the prosecutors' demand, a penal judgeship of peace ordered the arrest of the journalist.

Alevi and journalism organizations gathered outside of the courthouse to protest against Kartal's arrest. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Deputy Serpil Kemalbay also attended the gathering.

Atakan Sönmez of the Solidarity Network for Journalists (GDS) said, "Journalists and Kartal have been doing their jobs, to tell the truth for years. They face pressure because of doing that. He is wanted to be arrested because of that. The truth will prevail in the country."

Cuma Erçe, head of the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association, noted that Kartal is an Alevi, a religious minority in Türkiye, and described him as the "voice of the Alevis."

"We should grow this struggle shoulder to shoulder," he said. (EMK/VK)