JOURNALISTS in Turkey refused to be silenced after they were released on Monday and vowed to continue to expose government corruption in the coup against democracy.

They had been detained for seven days after being hauled in by Turkish security services while covering demonstrations against the removal of elected mayors in the largely Kurdish province of Mardin.

Demonstrations have continued across the country as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) replaced mayors from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Van, Mardin and Diyarbakir with government trustees.

Many of them have been accused of corruption with documents showing huge donations made from the public purse to senior AKP figures, including Mr Erdogan.

It is alleged the authoritarian ruler personally received 136,000 lira’s worth of gifts from Mardin Governor Mustafa Yaman who was appointed as trustee of Mardin province last week.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu denied claims that he benefited from 40,000 lira’s worth of gifts after photographs circulated purporting to show him choosing gold jewellery at a Mardin shop.

Mesopotamia Agency reporters Ahmet Kanbal and Mehmet Sah Oruc were joined by Jin News reporter Rojda Aydin and freelance journalists Nurcan Yalcın and Halime Parlak as they made a statement in front of Mardin State Hospital.

Mr Kanbal said: “We will not be silent as we have not so far. We will continue to expose the [government appointed] trustee’s one by one.”

Turkey’s trade unions yesterday joined the opposition to the “coup against democracy.”

DISK president Arzu Cerkezoglu, KESK co-chair Mehmet Bozgeyik, TTB central council president Rasit Tukel and TMMOB vice-chair Selcuk Uluata marched with trade union members to join a sit-down protest in Diyarbakir.

Ms Cerkezoglu said: “The most fundamental rule in a democracy is to respect the right to vote and be elected, and the will of the people. In a country where the will of the people is stolen this clearly, there is no guarantee to any right.

“The target of this coup is the millions of people who refuse to give in to fascism and oppression. The will the people of Turkey was expressed in the March 31 and June 23 local elections.”

She added that defending the municipalities of Diyarbakir, Van and Mardin is to defend Turkey and blasted the government for “stealing the will of the Kurdish people.

“The result of the usurpation of the people’s will is robbery and theft. They have been convicted in the hearts of Turkey.”