Hundreds of journalists and representatives of socialist and democratic mass organizations staged a protest act in Taksim square of Istanbul on Tuesday to protest against the terror of detention and arrest across the country which brought 38 journalists to prison. Most of the journalists are working for Kurdish media.

The detention of journalists has been reported in the international media and condemned by some.

During the protest demo which was organized by Contemporary Journalists’ Association and The Union of Turkey’s Journalists, demonstrators carried banners writing “Free press cannot be silenced” and “We are all Kurds and KCK members” while calling the ruling AKP party to take its hands from the free press.

Reading the press statement of the demo, Secretary General of Union of Turkey’s Journalists, Alper Turgut underlined that; “The imprisonment of journalists means the usurpation of our right for information. We are here today to defend both our colleagues and the right of information. This attack also targets the people’s right to learn the truth. We will therefore never remain silent and we will be on streets until the press is released from prisons. We are here to show that thoughts cannot be arrested.”

Speaking after Turgut, Özgür Gündem Editor Bayram Balcý reminded of 90’s when journalists were shot dead on streets and the institutions of opponent press were targeted with bombs. Balcý said that; “They have tried every way possible but they couldn’t manage to silence the Kurdish press. The AKP blockade will be broken by free press.”