Free Journalists Initiative criticized the arrest of 4 journalists during the first half of May and reported that the number of journalists jailed in Turkey rose to 171 with the arrest of Cumhuriyet newspaper’s Chief Editor Oğuz Güven. The Initiative said “Istanbul 2nd Court of Peace’s decision to arrest Güven has no legal basis.”

Free Journalists Initiative emphasized that the oppression of and threats against journalists increase every day, and said “The truth cannot be covered up or wiped out through threats, denunciations, detentions and arrests.”

The Initiative stated that Güven’s arrest targets free journalists and the freedom of speech, and added “As the Free Journalists Initiative, we condemn this illegal arrest and demand the immediate release of Oğuz Güven and all other journalists currently in jail.”