Journalist İsmail Arı, a reporter for BirGün newspaper, was detained yesterday evening around 10:10 PM in Turhal, Tokat, where he was visiting family for the holiday. The detention was part of an investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Arı, accused of ‘openly spreading misleading information,’ was brought to Ankara this morning.
Solidarity Rally in Ankara Demands Arı’s Release
Following a call from BirGün newspaper, a press statement was made today in front of the Human Rights Monument on Yüksel Street in Ankara. Representatives from press professional organizations, journalists, political party representatives, and citizens attended the event.
Yaşar Aydın, BirGün’s Publication Coordinator, addressed the crowd, stating, “They couldn’t see a single step back, a single regret in İsmail. This path we have taken is an indispensable point for us. If we, journalists who try to do their profession with honor, remain silent, everything will be silent. That’s why we will not remain silent; we will continue to write, speak, and express ourselves. We will overcome this darkness together.”
Aydın added, “We are proud of him. We enjoyed working with him, and we will continue to do so. We will not leave İsmail or any of our friends alone.”
Sinan Tartanoğlu, Ankara Branch President of the Journalists’ Union of Turkey, said, “We want İsmail Arı to be released immediately. We want Alican Uludağ to be released immediately.”
Özlem Akarsu Çelik, a member of the Journalists’ Association Board of Directors, emphasized, “Journalists disturb. Everyone has to put up with this. Whenever democracy is suspended in Turkey, journalists pay the heaviest price. We are witnessing this once again. But we will not leave our colleagues alone.”
İsmail Arı’s Message from Detention
Nurcan Gökdemir, BirGün’s Ankara Representative, shared a message from İsmail Arı, who is currently in detention. She stated, “İsmail started his career with me. Since the day he took his first step into the profession, I have been a direct witness to his development, how he works meticulously to fulfill the public’s right to receive news, acting with international ethical principles.”
Arı’s message read:
“I was detained for a video from three months ago. I was taken from a holiday visit in the evening and brought to Ankara, traveling 450 km. New tweets and old videos are being added to my file. I assume they want to inflate the file to get me arrested. They have been looking for an excuse to arrest me for the past year. My only crime is doing journalism in this country. Journalism is not a crime. Stand by journalists. Regards…”
