Five journalists were taken into custody during house raids in Van and Istanbul this morning in line with an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Journalist Reyhan Hacıoğlu was detained in Van, while Necla Demir, Rahime Karvar, Welat Ekin and Ahmet Güneş were taken into custody in Istanbul. On the other hand, journalist Vedat Örüç was taken into custody in Mersin's Tarsus district.

As part of the same investigation, Martı Productions and Güncel Productions in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul were raided and searched for hours. Police had the doors of the companies opened by a locksmith without informing the owners, and seized all computers and hard drives.

Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and Mesopotamia Women Journalists Association (MKG) made a written statement titled ‘Attacks will not deter the Free Press employees’.

DFG and MKG pointed out that as the repression against journalists continues systematically, women journalists in particular are targeted and attacked while doing their job. Journalists are not only subjected to pressure, violence, detentions and arrests, but also risk death while reporting, said the statement, referring to Turkey’s attacks against journalists in North-East Syria.

The statement noted that 4 journalists were among those wounded in Turkey's latest attack on the Tishrin Dam in northern Syria on Thursday, calling the attack an indication of Turkey’s treatment of journalists. The wounded journalists were hospitalized and taken under treatment.

DFG and MKG also condemned Turkey’s killing of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin in an UCAV attack in northern Syria on 19 December and its obstruction of the delivery of their remains to their hometowns in Turkey. Following a series of obstacles by Turkey, the two journalists were laid to rest in Qamishlo on 11 January. Journalists in Turkey took to the streets in protest at the killing of Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin. While dozens of people were detained during a demonstration in Istanbul, 7 journalists were remanded in custody on charges of "making propaganda for an illegal organization" and "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911".

“Despite the fact that deliberately targeting journalists is a war crime under international law, the government continues to commit this crime. At this point, we once again call for action by international organizations,” the statement said.

DFG and MKG concluded: “We want it to be known that we will continue to expose the politics of war and all the policies that target democracy and freedoms, as a sacred requirement of our journalistic activities and to convey the truth to the society. We want the ruling circles to know that these attacks will not deter the Free Press laborers who draw their strength from the laughter of Cihan and Nazım, the truth of Apê Musa (Anter) and the faith of Gurbetelli (Ersöz). Give up this tendency! We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues and we call for solidarity with all our journalists who are struggling to reveal the truth.”