Vedat Örüç, a journalist detained since January 20 on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization,” has sent a handwritten note from prison denouncing his arrest as a violation of press freedom. Örüç, who was arrested in the southern Turkish city of Mersin while visiting his ailing mother, said he was imprisoned without ever being questioned by a prosecutor.
Örüç was among six journalists detained in police raids on January 17 as part of an investigation based in Istanbul. He has now been held for three months in pre-trial detention at Mersin Prison. Attorneys from the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), who visited him in custody, reported that his morale and health remain strong.
In a letter sent via MLSA, Örüç criticized the state of press freedom in Turkey: “A journalist should be in the news for the stories they report, but in Turkey, we’re in the headlines because of censorship, arrests, and detentions.”
Örüç: ‘I was arrested without even giving a statement’
Describing the circumstances of his arrest, Örüç said, “I was taken into custody from my family home in Mersin, where I had come to visit my sick mother. I was immediately jailed without even being allowed to give a statement to the prosecutor.”
Calling the charges against him “baseless and forced,” Örüç described his detention as arbitrary. He linked his imprisonment directly to his professional work as a journalist: “I have lost both my job and my freedom simply because I was doing journalism,” he wrote.
Despite the pressure, Örüç emphasized that he and other imprisoned journalists continue their struggle: “We are aware that we are here because we refuse to bow to the government’s pressure. We will continue to do our job with honor. Our journalism cannot be prosecuted—journalism is not a crime.”
Case rooted in media affiliations and surveillance
The indictment against Örüç was filed in February, and he is scheduled to appear in court in May. Prosecutors cite his work with Güncel Prodüksiyon, a media production company whose programming aired on Medya Haber TV, as evidence of alleged organizational ties.
The indictment references Örüç’s registered employment at Güncel Prodüksiyon as proof of membership in a terrorist organization. It also includes wiretapped phone conversations and photographs taken by police of Örüç exiting the production company’s office building as further evidence of criminal activity.
Related cases see mixed outcomes
The investigation has led to the detention of several journalists. Earlier this week, Welat Ekin, who was jailed under the same investigation, was acquitted and released at his first hearing. Another journalist, Necla Demir, was released from custody but convicted of “aiding a terrorist organization” and sentenced to 2 years and 1 month in prison.
Turkey has faced widespread international criticism over its treatment of journalists, with press freedom organizations repeatedly highlighting the use of anti-terror laws to target reporters and media workers.
