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- Ocak 16, 2025
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BirGün.net Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with BirGün.net Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir, have been detained for reporting on Sabah newspaper's visit to Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. The visit had previously been reported by Sabah itself.
Koç, Gültekin, and Gökdemir, who were detained on charges of "Targeting Individuals Involved in Counterterrorism Efforts" were taken to the İstanbul Police Department's Vatan Complex to give their statements. They were taken into custody directly from their homes without being summoned for testimony and are now awaiting questioning.
Press organizations, trade unions, political party representatives, and BirGün readers will gather at Şişhane Square at 15:00 today to protest the detention of BirGün.net Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir.
At the gathering, a statement will be made condemning the unlawful detentions and demanding the immediate release of the detained journalists.
The TGS shared a statement on its X (Twitter) account, declaring:
"Our members #UğurKoç and #BerkantGültekin, Editorial Coordinators of @BirGun_Gazette, and Managing Editor #YaşarGökdemir have been detained. The reason is reporting on Sabah newspaper's visit to Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor #AkınGürlek.
You will not be able to intimidate us by detaining our colleagues in the middle of the night over a news report that should not even be investigated.
We are gathering for a press statement in support of our detained colleagues. Let the detainees be released!"
Meanwhile, calls for the release of BirGün journalists continue to grow. Some of the statements are as follows:
In a statement, DİSK Basın-İş (Trade Union of Journalists, Publishing House and Printing House Workers) condemned the detention: “BirGün newspaper's Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin were detained and taken to the Vatan Security Directorate on the grounds of a news report about a Sabah journalist's visit to İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. It is unacceptable for journalists to be targeted and detained. Our colleagues must be released immediately."
The Left Party also issued a statement demanding the release of the journalists: “Immediately release our friends Berkant Gültekin, Uğur Koç, and Yaşar Gökdemir, writers of BirGün newspaper! No matter what you do, you will not be able to silence honourable journalists who write to inform the public and reveal the truth.”
The Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) also called for their release, stating: “End this lawlessness. Release the journalists!”
“BirGün.net Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir, were detained for doing their jobs as journalists. They must be released immediately! The public’s right to access information and journalists’ right to practice their profession cannot be obstructed.”
CHP Eskişehir MP Utku Çakırözer also criticized the detentions, stating:
“Tonight, journalism is being punished once again! BirGün newspaper’s Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir, must be released immediately!”
Stating the legal and justice system in the country has become increasingly absurd, CHP Spokesperson Deniz Yücel warned that those responsible for the unlawful detentions might one day be held accountable:
“Those who carried out these illegal detentions, either on someone's orders or in an attempt to curry favor, may one day have to answer before the law. There have been many such examples in the past. Regardless of who they are, I urge everyone to respect the law, act justly, and uphold their conscience.”
CHP Deputy Group Chair Ali Mahir Başarır strongly criticized the detentions, linking them to political favoritism:
“Reporting on those who serve the Palace is now a crime! BirGün editors Uğur Koç, Berkant Gültekin, and Yaşar Gökdemir were detained for covering the visit of a pro-government journalist to Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. If you serve the Palace, you are protected; if you report on it, you are punished! We condemn this unlawful system!”
DEM Party MP Saruhan Oluç also denounced the arrests, comparing them to repressive eras in Turkey’s history: “The detention of journalists from BirGün is completely unacceptable. They must be released immediately. We have not seen such an intense restriction on press freedom since the era of the September 12 military coup. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues.”
Hatimoğulları condemned the detentions, stating:
“This is a blatant example of double standards in the law! Turning a journalistic activity into a crime and using it to intimidate opposition journalists is unacceptable. We do not accept the increasing pressure on independent journalists. In a country where the press is not free, there can be no talk of democracy! Journalists Uğur Koç, Berkant Gültekin, and Yaşar Gökdemir must be released immediately.”
Koç, Gültekin, and Gökdemir, who were detained on charges of "Targeting Individuals Involved in Counterterrorism Efforts" were taken to the İstanbul Police Department's Vatan Complex to give their statements. They were taken into custody directly from their homes without being summoned for testimony and are now awaiting questioning.
PRESS ORGANIZATIONS, TRADE UNIONS, AND READERS TO GATHER IN ŞİŞHANE
Press organizations, trade unions, political party representatives, and BirGün readers will gather at Şişhane Square at 15:00 today to protest the detention of BirGün.net Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir.
At the gathering, a statement will be made condemning the unlawful detentions and demanding the immediate release of the detained journalists.
TGS: “You Will Not Intimidate Us by Having Our Colleagues Detained!”
The TGS shared a statement on its X (Twitter) account, declaring:
"Our members #UğurKoç and #BerkantGültekin, Editorial Coordinators of @BirGun_Gazette, and Managing Editor #YaşarGökdemir have been detained. The reason is reporting on Sabah newspaper's visit to Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor #AkınGürlek.
You will not be able to intimidate us by detaining our colleagues in the middle of the night over a news report that should not even be investigated.
We are gathering for a press statement in support of our detained colleagues. Let the detainees be released!"
Calls For The Release Of BirGün Journalists Continue To Grow
Meanwhile, calls for the release of BirGün journalists continue to grow. Some of the statements are as follows:
Disk Basın-İş: “Targeted Detention Of Journalists Is Unacceptable”
In a statement, DİSK Basın-İş (Trade Union of Journalists, Publishing House and Printing House Workers) condemned the detention: “BirGün newspaper's Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin were detained and taken to the Vatan Security Directorate on the grounds of a news report about a Sabah journalist's visit to İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. It is unacceptable for journalists to be targeted and detained. Our colleagues must be released immediately."
Left Party: “You Will Not Silence Honourable Journalists”
The Left Party also issued a statement demanding the release of the journalists: “Immediately release our friends Berkant Gültekin, Uğur Koç, and Yaşar Gökdemir, writers of BirGün newspaper! No matter what you do, you will not be able to silence honourable journalists who write to inform the public and reveal the truth.”
ÇGD: “End This Lawlessness”
The Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) also called for their release, stating: “End this lawlessness. Release the journalists!”
The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) issued a statement condemning the detentions:
“BirGün.net Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir, were detained for doing their jobs as journalists. They must be released immediately! The public’s right to access information and journalists’ right to practice their profession cannot be obstructed.”
“Journalism Is Being Punished Once Again”
CHP Eskişehir MP Utku Çakırözer also criticized the detentions, stating:
“Tonight, journalism is being punished once again! BirGün newspaper’s Editorial Coordinators Uğur Koç and Berkant Gültekin, along with Managing Editor Yaşar Gökdemir, must be released immediately!”
“The legal and justice system in the country has become increasingly absurd.”
Stating the legal and justice system in the country has become increasingly absurd, CHP Spokesperson Deniz Yücel warned that those responsible for the unlawful detentions might one day be held accountable:
“Those who carried out these illegal detentions, either on someone's orders or in an attempt to curry favor, may one day have to answer before the law. There have been many such examples in the past. Regardless of who they are, I urge everyone to respect the law, act justly, and uphold their conscience.”
“We Condemn This Unlawful System”
CHP Deputy Group Chair Ali Mahir Başarır strongly criticized the detentions, linking them to political favoritism:
“Reporting on those who serve the Palace is now a crime! BirGün editors Uğur Koç, Berkant Gültekin, and Yaşar Gökdemir were detained for covering the visit of a pro-government journalist to Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. If you serve the Palace, you are protected; if you report on it, you are punished! We condemn this unlawful system!”
“They Must Be Released Immediately”
DEM Party MP Saruhan Oluç also denounced the arrests, comparing them to repressive eras in Turkey’s history: “The detention of journalists from BirGün is completely unacceptable. They must be released immediately. We have not seen such an intense restriction on press freedom since the era of the September 12 military coup. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues.”
DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları: "Double Standards In the Law!"
Hatimoğulları condemned the detentions, stating:
“This is a blatant example of double standards in the law! Turning a journalistic activity into a crime and using it to intimidate opposition journalists is unacceptable. We do not accept the increasing pressure on independent journalists. In a country where the press is not free, there can be no talk of democracy! Journalists Uğur Koç, Berkant Gültekin, and Yaşar Gökdemir must be released immediately.”