Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform (MKGP) and Dicle Firat Journalists Association (DFG) will hold protests in 5 cities for 16 journalists, including the association co-chair Serdar Altan, who were detained on 8 June during the house raids in Diyarbakır and sent to prison on 16 June. Speaking about the protest, DFG co-chair Dicle Müftüoğlu called for participation in the protests and demanded that journalists not be left alone.

Actions will be held in front of the PTT branches in Diyarbakır, Istanbul, Ankara, Van and Mersin on 16 September.

'They want to silence journalists'

Müftüoğlu said that three months have passed since the detention of the journalists and no indictments have been prepared against them. “In this process, every objection to the detention of journalists was rejected by the court. During this period, we saw that all efforts by the judiciary have been made towards the single aim of silencing journalists. The fact that the indictment has not been prepared in such a long time is another indicator of this."

Protests in 5 cities

Noting that the DFG and MKGP have carried out various actions and activities for the release of their friends since the first day, and that they will hold actions and events in 5 different cities on the occasion of the third month of detention, Müftüoğlu said: "With these protests, we will demand the release of our friends from 5 cities. We will underline once again our solidarity. We will send cards and books to our friends after these actions. We will emphasize that we are in solidarity with them."

Actions will be held in front of the PTT branches in Diyarbakır, Istanbul, Ankara, Van and Mersin on 16 September, and then send cards, letters and books, Müftüoğlu said that press professional organizations such as DİSK Basın-İş and TGS will also support their actions.

Müftüoğlu said: "We call on everyone to support and act for freedom of press and expression of all journalists in the person of our friends."