On April 23, several journalists were detained in early morning raids at their homes in Istanbul, Ankara, and Şanlıurfa. Following their arrest, a 24-hour ban on meeting with their lawyers was imposed, during which police allegedly attempted to take their statements unlawfully.
According to the MLSA Legal Unit, which met with the journalists after the ban expired, all are in good physical condition but faced considerable distress. Reportedly, some journalists were unable to sleep due to being placed in cells with ISIS members, raising serious concerns about their safety.
Despite the legal restrictions on lawyer-client meetings, the journalists claimed that police tried to conduct "interviews" to extract statements illegally and asked questions pertaining to the content of their reports.
The lawyers have contested the legality of the ban on meetings and the conditions under which the journalists are being held, arguing these actions violate basic legal rights and procedural norms.
