ETHA director Derya Otakan, DİHA news director Ömer Çelik and Istanbul correspondent Metin Yoksu, former Diken editor Tunca Öğreten, BirGün journalist Mahir Kanaat and Yolculuk editor Eray Sargın have been in detention for 20 days because of their coverage of the emails of Energy and Natural Resources Minister and Tayyip Erdoğan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak. Okatan has been on hunger strike since her detention to protest the unlawfulness of the current state of emergency.

Etkin News Agency (ETHA) held a press conference at the Turkey Journalists Association Istanbul branch on the arbitrary detention of journalists and the deteriorating health of Okatan. Representatives from ETHA, DİHA, Özgür Gelecek, Özgür Gündem, Meydan, Mücadele Birliği, TGS, Contemporary Journalists Association, HDP ESP, SKM, SGDF and the Law Office of the Oppressed participated in the press conference.

OKATAN: WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOB

The press conference began with the message Derya Okatan sent through her lawyers, in which she thanked everyone that support the detained journalists and said "Our morale is high. We will continue to do journalism."

ÖNER: 20 DAYS OF CUSTODY WITHOUT ANY PROCEDURES

ETHA news director Önder Öner read the press statement and stated that they have not received any information on the details of the detentions yet. Öner emphasized that the only detail on the case was given in a news article of the pro-government Sabah newspaper, in which the journalists were accused of ‘propagating for RedHack’, ‘membership to an organization’ and 'recording and dissemination of personal information.’ Öner noted that the Turkish state has been keeping the journalists in custody for the past 20 days without any procedures, and rejecting all requests for more information on the issue.

'RESISTENCE OF OKATAN'S BODY IS WEAKENING, EXCESSIVE LOSS OF WEIGHT'

Regarding the hunger strike ETHA director Derya Okatan launched in order to protest the unlawfulness of the current state of emergency, Öner said that Okatan is consuming water, sugar and B1 vitamins but has lost weight excessively and the resistance of her body is weakening. Öner emphasized that the detention of journalists covering the Minister Albayrak’s hacked e-mails is not routine but a special operation of vengeance. He said those responsible for the purchase of ISIS petroleum should be prosecuted as opposed to the journalists covering this news.

'OKATAN IS RESISTING THE OPERATION OF VENGEANCE'

Öner emphasized that Okatan has been resisting the operation of vengeance with her hunger strike, and they feel empowered by her actions and will always defend Okatan. Öner said those that decided to arbitrarily detain the journalists would be responsible for any health problems Okatan may have in the future, and demanded the immediate release of Okatan and other detained journalists.

LAWYER TONÇ: ATTEMPT TO FABRICATE EVIDENCE

Lawyer Kader Tonç also spoke during the press conference and stated that the prosecutor accuses the journalists of ‘membership to an organization’ but does not give any information on which organization this may be. Tonç described the arbitrary detention of the journalists as torture, and underlined that the detention is more of an attempt to buy time and fabricate evidence.

Regarding the health condition of Okatan, Tonç said "Her movements have slowed down. She began to show sensitivity to sound and light. Her pulse has dropped. She’s staying in a small and damp place. The doctor is visiting her but not examining in a way that would identify the results of the hunger strike. The Chamber of Doctors made an application. We are worried about her health. This unlawfulness must end immediately."

UĞUR: WE ARE WITH THEM

TGS director Cansever Uğur stated that the government perceives journalists writing the truth as ‘threats,’ and reiterated support for the detained journalists.

GÜÇ: THEY SHOULD BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY

ÇGD İstanbul representative Uğur Güç saluted the resistance of Derya Okatan and said that the detention of journalists is a method of punishment for writing the truth. Güç expressed support for the journalists and demanded their immediate release.

ÜSTÜN: WE CAN REVERSE THE PROCESS

HDP Central Executive Committee member Beyza Üstün described the work of journalists under conditions of fascism as invaluable, and said that the current process of fascism could be reversed. Üstün demanded the immediate release of the detained journalists.

DEMİR: THE PEOPLE IN THE EMAILS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED

Lastly, ETHA editor Arzu Demir highlighted that those in the emails should be investigated, not the journalists that exposed the crimes documented in the emails.