Two more Journalists Arrested

33 people were taken into custody in the course of protests in Diyarbakır against the military attack in Uludere (south-eastern Turkey). As reported on 3 January, 16 of the people in custody were arrested, among them journalist Eser Sevgül, reporter for the Halkın Günlüğü (Agenda of the People') newspaper.

At the same time, journalist Turabi Kişin, former editor of the Özgür Gündem ('Free Agenda') newspaper, was arrested in the scope of an operation related to the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK), the umbrella organization that includes the armed outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turabi Kişin was arrested under allegations of "membership of an illegal organization".

The KCK operation was carried out on 20 December 2011. Kişin was taken into police custody on 30 December. After having been interrogated at the police, he was taken to the Istanbul Courthouse in Beşiktaş. His arrest was requested on charges of "being part of the KCK press committee" and "membership of an illegal organization". Kişin was arrested thereupon and taken to the Metris Prison in Istanbul.

Hence, the number of people arrested as of 20 December 2011 in the context of the KCK increased to 36, most of them journalists.

16 people arrested on the grounds of Uludere protests

A total of 33 people were arrested by reason of the protest in Diyarbakır against the death of 35 civilians caused by an aerial strike on the region of Uludere (Şırnak province) in the end of December. Three of them were released after the interrogation of the prosecution; 30 were taken to court with the request for their arrest. Eventually, the court decided to arrest 16 of them including Halkın Günlüğü newspaper reporter Eser Sevgül. 14 people were released by the court. (IC/VK)