Arrest demand for 6 journalists referred to court after 24 days in custody

Six journalists who have been held in custody for the last 24 days have been referred to court with a demand for their arrest after giving their statements at the prosecutor's office today.

Procedures at the prosecutor's office have been completed for six journalists who were detained in an Istanbul-based operation on December 25, 2016.

The journalists; ETHA director Derya Otakan, DİHA news director Ömer Çelik and Istanbul correspondent Metin Yoksu, former Diken editor Tunca Öğreten, BirGün journalist Mahir Kanaat and Yolculuk editor Eray Sargın held under detention at a police directorate since because of their coverage of the emails of Energy and Natural Resources Minister and Tayyip Erdoğan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, leaked by hacker group RedHack. ETHA director Derya Okatan has been on hunger strike since her detention to protest the unlawfulness of the current state of emergency.

The journalists gave their statements to police yesterday and to the prosecutor at Istanbul's Çağlayan Courthouse today. All the six have been referred to court with a demand for their arrest.

Earlier today, a group of journalists made a press statement in front of Çağlayan Courthouse before the journalists were referred to there to give their statements at the prosecutor's office.

The journalists called on the prosecutor to investigate the claims on Berat Albayrak instead of questioning the journalists that covered this news.

Journalists demanded the urgent release of their colleagues, stressing that they stand by their colleagues in all the reports they have covered together.