In response to this morning’s detention of 11 journalists and staff from Cumhuriyet newspaper and the shutting down of 15 media outlets over the weekend, Amnesty International’s Europe Director, John Dalhuisen, said:

“Today’s detention of journalists and staff from Turkey’s only remaining mainstream opposition newspaper is part of an ongoing systematic attempt to silence all critical voices. Together with the shutting down of media houses over the weekend, this is the latest wave in a post-coup purge which has turned Turkey’s once vibrant media landscape into a wasteland.”

“The blatant misuse of emergency powers to shut down media houses must stop and more than 130 journalists currently in pre-trial detention must be immediately released.”

This is the latest wave in a post-coup purge which has turned Turkey’s once vibrant media landscape into a wasteland John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International

Background

Detention orders were issued for 13 staff members of Cumhuriyet newspaper, with 11 detained in raids this morning, including the editor-in-chief according to Turkey’s state-run news agency Anadolu Ajansi.

15 media outlets were shut down by decree on Saturday. These were mostly Kurdish outlets based in south-east Turkey, including the only Kurdish language national newspaper and Kurdish news agency run by women.

More than 160 media outlets have been shut down since the failed coup attempt in July and more than 130 journalists are currently in pre-trial detention.