News Center- Many journalists and media workers were detained in dawn raids conducted in Istanbul and Ankara on Tuesday as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The Mesopotamia Women Journalists’ Association (Turkish: Mezopotamya Kadın Gazeteciler Derneği, MKG) has released a statement demanding the immediate release of the journalists. “An unacceptable interference with the freedom of the press,” the statement said.

Journalism is an indispensable part of democratic societies, the statement emphasized. “The arbitrary practices faced by journalists while doing their profession are a serious attack on the freedom of information and the press.”

Call on international organizations

Demanding the immediate release of all detained journalists, the association called on national and international human rights organizations to defend the rights of journalists and to oppose the arbitrary practices against journalists.