Turkish police on Monday detained 10 journalists in early morning home raids for covering days-long violent protests in İstanbul and other cities against the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Turkish Minute reported.
The detainees include Agence France-Presse reporter Yasin Akgül, Now Haber reporter Ali Onur Tosun, photojournalists Bülent Kılıç and Kurtuluş Sarı, who works for the İstanbul Municipality, and Birgün columnist Barış İnce and his wife as well as journalists Zeynep Kuray, Hayri Tunç, Gökhan Kam and Murat Kocabaş.
They are reportedly accused of violating the law on meetings and demonstrations.
Journalist Zişan Gür, who works for Sendika.org, was also detained in a police operation Sunday while covering protests in İstanbul.
Just four days after his pre-dawn detention in a raid by hundreds of police officers last Wednesday, the powerful and popular opposition mayor was stripped of his title and sent to Marmara Prison on the western outskirts of the city.
İmamoğlu’s detention, arrest and removal from office have sparked protests in İstanbul and across Turkey, where police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators.
Journalists covering the protests have faced police violence for days, according to the MLSA.
The MLSA said police violence against journalists has not been limited to detentions, citing several incidents of physical assault in recent days. State-run Anadolu news agency reporter Hakan Akgün, AFP’s Akgül, Reuters reporter Dilara Şenkaya, Bianet’s Ali Dinç, İlke TV reporter Eylül Deniz Yaşar, freelance photojournalist Kemal Aslan, freelance journalist Rojda Altıntaş and Özgür Gelecek reporter Yusuf Çelik were reportedly assaulted by police while covering protests in İstanbul last Friday.
Nefes daily journalist Egemen İsar and journalist Rıfat Kırcı were also reportedly beaten by police on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Akit TV reporter Serkan Okur was assaulted by protesters during demonstrations last Wednesday, according to the MLSA.
It is common for journalists to face physical violence and judicial harassment in Turkey while engaging in their profession.
Turkey, which has been suffering from a poor record of the press freedom, was ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
