Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Ýstanbul deputy Sebahat Tuncel has worked as a volunteer journalist today in order to protest police raids to Dicle News Agency. Like Tuncel, BDP co-chair Gülten Kýþanak and Istanbul MP Sýrrý Süreyya Önder had covered the strike promoted by the Confederation of Public Service Workers (KESK) and the Turkish Medical Association (TTB).

BDP Ýstanbul branch co-chairs Asiye Koçak and Ali Rýza Bilgili, Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) executive member Ender Ýmrek, Evrensel Newspaper Executive Fatih Polat, Socialist Democracy Party (SDP) Vice Chair Yeþim Engün and many BDP supporters have visited DÝHA's Ýstanbul office. Then the group released a statement to protest police against the detention of journalists and media workers.

One of Dicle News Agency's (DÝHA) editors Abdurrahman Gök said, "That despite all difficulties, we will continue to work and to state the truth."

A vigil for freedom of the press has been organized in Istanbul.

Turkish police units have carried out simultaneous raids on Tuesday in both Kurdish and left media offices and private houses in Istanbul, Ankara, Diyarbakýr, Van, Ýzmir and Adana. As a result of these raids 42 reporters and media workers have been detained. They will appear in court on Friday.