İSTANBUL – Press trade bodies and journalists reacted against this morning detentions and called authorities to released journalists who were detained in İstanbul and Diyarbakır.

Police had raided to closed Dicle News Agency (DİHA) director Ömer Çelik’s , DİHA reporter Metin Yoksu’s, Diken news website former director Tunca Öğreten’s, BirGün newspaper accounting supervisor Mahir Kanat’s, Yolculuk newspaper grant holder and editor in chief Eray Sargın’s houses. Police also looking for Özgür Radio general coordinator Derya Okatan. Press workers and trade organizations made a press statement to react against these raids.

DİSK Basın-İş (Confederation of Progressive Trade Union Press Workers) chair Faruk Eren reacted to assaults against the journalists. “These days is like coup days. Doesn’t take serious the law. Human rights violations and tortures turn the clock back. I wish situation gets normal and our co-workers to be released” said.

Journalists Trade of Turkey (TGS) chair Gökhan Durmuş “there was no left even a piece of press freedom in Turkey. Every day we weak up with another detention of journalists. There are over 100 journalists in prison right now. Those people didn’t do anything except doing news. I urge to authorities to release all journalists.