On Thursday, a Turkish court ordered the release of three journalists, including AFP photographer Yasin Akgul, who had been detained after covering widespread protests. These protests, which began on March 19, were triggered by the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading political opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Akgul, aged 35, was among 11 journalists arrested following the unrest. Eight of them were detained in Istanbul, while the remaining three were arrested in Izmir. On Tuesday, seven journalists were remanded in custody on charges related to participating in illegal demonstrations and failing to disperse despite warnings.
The journalists had been arrested during pre-dawn raids and taken to Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse, where prosecutors initially ordered their release. However, shortly after, the decision was reversed, and the court ordered their formal arrest, a move that legal observers described as unprecedented.
The court eventually released Akgul and two other journalists on Thursday. His lawyer confirmed Akgul would be freed by the afternoon, once the necessary procedures were completed. Erol Onderoglu from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomed Akgul’s release but called for the release of all journalists unjustly detained.
AFP’s CEO, Fabrice Fries, condemned the imprisonment of Akgul, emphasizing that he was merely covering the protests and should not have been detained.
Turkey ranks 158th out of 180 in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by RSF, reflecting concerns over media freedoms in the country.
The arrests sparked international outcry, including condemnation from the United Nations, with RSF and the Turkish Photojournalists Union calling the court’s actions unlawful and unacceptable.
