Turkey: Court Orders Release of Journalists

Washington

In response to the Turkish Constitutional Court’s ruling that the detention of journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül violated guarantees of freedom of the press and expression, Freedom House issued the following statement:

“We welcome the ruling and applaud the Court for upholding the right of journalists to do their jobs,” said Mark P. Lagon, president of Freedom House. “Can Dündar and Erdem Gül should be released immediately, and the charges against them dropped. This ruling is a reminder of the importance of checks and balances in a democracy.”

Background:
Can Dündar and Erdem Gül of the newspaper Cumhuriyet were placed in pre-trial detention in late November for publication of a video alleging that Turkey’s state intelligence agency was sending arms to militants in Syria under the guise of humanitarian aid. 

Turkey is rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2016, Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2015, and Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2015.