Three journalists detained in raids in Ankara, İzmir

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Three journalists were taken into custody during police raids at their homes in the early hours of the morning as part of an investigation conducted by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Delal Akyüz, a reporter for Mezopotamya Agency (MA), was apprehended in Izmir after authorities conducted a raid at her residence. Similarly, Fırat Can Arslan, another MA journalist, was taken into custody at his home in Ankara. During the raid, authorities seized Arslan's phone and computer.

Additionally, journalist Sibel Yükler was also detained at her home in Ankara. Yıldız Tar, a fellow journalist who reported the incident on social media, stated that the reason behind the investigation remains unclear, as she had not yet learned the details. Tar mentioned that the journalist's lawyer was on the way to meet with her.

There has been a growing pattern of increasing pressure on media outlets with a Kurdish focus over the past year, with numerous journalists facing detentions or arrests on charges related to "terrorism."

Last year, a separate operation based in Diyarbakır resulted in the arrest of 15 Kurdish journalists. Following the first hearings of their trials, these journalists were finally released on July 12 after spending more than a year in pretrial detention. (AS/VK)