231 opposition members were arrested in Turkey on Tuesday. In addition to local politicians, human rights activists, trade union members and activists, the arrested also include a number of media workers and intellectuals, including journalists Erdoğan Alayumat, Havin Derya, Tuğce Yılmaz, Bilge Aksu, Ahmet Sümbül, Roza Metina, Bilal Seçkin, Mehmet Ücar and Suzan Demir, film director Ardın Diren, author Ömer Barasi, poet Hicri Izgören and caricaturist Doğan Güzel, who are accused of having links to the PKK. Representatives of journalists' associations have spoken to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the repression against free media and called for the release of their colleagues.

"The press is being criminalized"

The co-chair of the Dicle Firat Journalists' Association (DFG), Selman Çiçek, said: "Turkey is sinking deeper and deeper into chaos. Corruption and poverty have reached drastic levels. The state cannot overcome these problems and therefore it is trying to silence the only voice of truth, that of the press. The state has created its own press to please it. This press is deaf, mute and blind. But the free press continues to bring the truth to light, whatever the price. Our colleagues have been arrested for reporting the truth."

"Journalism in Turkey is under threat"

Mahmut Oral, representative of the Turkish Journalists' Union in Amed, said in reference to the repression and the simultaneous signals from the government for a solution to the Kurdish question: "Whenever the way is cleared for something in Turkey, busy, secret hands start activating the files that are kept ready on the shelves of the courthouses back onto the tables. The target of the attack is now the press again."

"The regime views journalism as terrorism"

Oral said that the regime views journalism as terrorism and uses the judiciary as a club against the press. "We condemn the targeting of this operation on the press and will certainly not accept it. We call on the authorities to ensure that things now continue quickly and transparently and that our colleagues are released. The AKP government is increasing the scope and severity of the repression every day. Journalism has become a sector at risk. This is of course about hiding the truth. We are dealing with a regime that is afraid of the truth and represses journalists in order to cover up the truth and maintain its order. To do this, it is constantly fabricating criminal offenses. We will not accept this criminalization of journalism. Journalism is not a crime. Media workers have always been under great threat in Turkey. Twelve of our colleagues are currently in custody. We call on all professional associations to show solidarity with them."

"Together against fascism"

Hakkı Boltan, representative of the Basın-Iş press union, part of the DISK trade union federation, said that among the 231 people arrested on Tuesday were journalists, writers, caricaturists, filmmakers and intellectuals. "This shows us what the government's real target is. The government is targeting intellectuals. This attack shows that the regime cannot tolerate transparent reporting of reality by free media. This attack is directed against journalism, which has just brought to light the current policy towards the opposition and the Kurds. We must stand in solidarity against this fascist regime."