Oda TV news website owner and founder Soner Yalçýn was arrested along with two editors by a court in Istanbul late Thursday evening, daily Hürriyet reported on its website.

The owner and editors of Oda TV were taken to Istanbul’s Beþiktaþ Courthouse on Thursday to give testimony as part of their alleged involvement in the Ergenekon gang.

Editors Barýþ Pehlivan and Barýþ Terkoðlu were charged with "being a member of the Ergenekon organization" and "inciting hatred and emnity among the public" and were arrested.

Yalçýn was later questioned by public prosecutor Zekeriya Öz and was arrested on charges of "obtaining and publishing documents related to state security," "being a member of the Ergenekon organization" and "inciting hatred and emnity among the public."

Yalçýn, Pehlivan and Terkoðlu were sent to Metris prison in Istanbul.

US ambassador Francis Ricciardone had drawn criticism on Thursday from government circles after comments he made on freedom of expression in Turkey. Ricciardone had said that media freedom was a precondition for democracy in any country but declined to comment directly on a police raid on Monday on an anti-government news website, Oda TV. “I don't know in detail what the accusations are,” Ricciardone said of the Oda TV case, but added that the US was closely following developments. “On the one hand, there is freedom of the press; on the other hand, journalists are being detained. We are trying to understand the situation,” said the US ambassador, emphasizing that freedom of the press is essential for Turkey, the US and the region.