The number of journalists and media workers imprisoned for the work they do in Turkey has reached 172 after the arrest of 22 people from the Kurdish Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper, which was raided by the police and seized by the Turkish state on 28 March.
Those who were arrested by a Turkish judgeship on 6 April include the owner of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, the newspaper's "responsible" managing editor, Gün Print Press's owner as well as its workers. They were arrested on charges of "aiding and abetting a terrorist organization."
Their names are:İshak Yasul (Özgürlükçü Demokrasi managing editor), İhsan Yaşar (Özgürlükçü Demokrasi owner), Kasım Zengin (Gün Print Press owner) and print press workers Cumali Öz, Mehmet Kadir Omara, Murat Demir, Özgür Bozkurt, Kemal Daşdöğen, Süleyman Güneş, Muhammed Özkan, Uğur Selman Kelele Çiler, Kasım Zengin, Cemal Tunç, Erdoğan Amur, İhsan Simiş, İrfan Karaca, Kazım Göçer, Mahmut Emin Sumeci, Musa Kaya, Saddettin Demirtaş, Nejat Hızarcı, Polat Arslan and Mahmut Abay.
More arrests are expected on Monday as several others are still in police custody.
For a full list of journalists, columnists and media workers imprisoned in Turkey please visit this link.
