The journalists who were detained over covering Erdoğan’s son in law and Minister of Energy Berat Albayrak’s leaked e-mails are still in custody.

ETHA (Etkin News Agency) managing editor and Özgür Radyo’s Publication Coordinator Derya Okatan was taken into custody from the home she was visiting in Ankara after a funeral, and has now been taken to İstanbul.

In the same inquiry, DİHA News Director Ömer Çelik had been taken into custody from Diyarbakır, DİHA reporter Metin Yoksu, former Diken editor Tunca Öğreten, Birgün worker Mahir Kanat and Yolculuk Newspaper Editor in Chief Eray Saygın had been taken into custody from İstanbul the previous night.

ETHA: JOURNALISTS SHOULD BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY

ETHA issued a written statement and demanded all journalists be released. ETHA also pointed out Berat Albayrak’s leaked e-mails that were used as the excuse for the detention of journalists and said: “Berat Albayrak’s e-mails had been one of the topics of discussion on the agenda for Turkey. And the truths that came out with the e-mails were pointing to the illegal activities of Minister of Energy Berat Albayrak. No inquiries have been launched on Albayrak as of yet.

The journalists who covered the e-mails being identified as ‘Redhack’s perception team’ is unacceptable. This investigation is another example of pressure against press freedom.”

ETHA said the journalists who seek the truth can not be silenced with threats of detention and arrest, and demanded Okatan and other detained journalists be released.