A Turkish court has ordered the release of three journalists, including veteran AFP photographer Yasin Akgul, who were detained earlier this week while covering the country’s largest anti-government protests in over a decade, his lawyer and a press freedom NGO confirmed Thursday.
Akgul, 35, was among 11 journalists taken into custody after reporting on mass demonstrations that erupted on March 19 in response to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key opposition leader and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s most prominent political rival. The protests, which swept through major cities, marked a significant moment of unrest in Turkey’s already tense political landscape.
According to court documents, eight journalists were detained in Istanbul and three others in the western coastal city of İzmir. On Tuesday, authorities formally remanded seven of them in custody on charges of “participating in illegal rallies and marches and failing to disperse despite warnings.”
Akgul was expected to be released by Thursday afternoon once the necessary legal procedures were completed, his lawyer confirmed. His detention, along with that of other journalists, had sparked international condemnation, with media watchdogs and press organizations decrying what they described as a crackdown on press freedom.
“Yasin Akgul’s release is welcome and constitutes redress for a monumental injustice,” said Erol Önderoğlu, the Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders (RSF). “Journalists should not face detention simply for doing their jobs—covering protests and documenting events is not a crime.”
AFP Chief Executive and Chairman Fabrice Fries had previously condemned Akgul’s imprisonment as “unacceptable,” calling for Turkish authorities to respect press freedoms.
The wave of detentions comes at a critical time for Turkey, where tensions between Erdoğan’s government and opposition forces have been escalating ahead of key elections. İmamoğlu’s arrest triggered widespread accusations that the ruling party is attempting to stifle political dissent through legal maneuvers.
Media rights groups have long warned about the erosion of press freedom in Turkey, where dozens of journalists have been jailed in recent years under broad anti-terrorism and public order laws. The country ranks among the worst globally in terms of press freedom, according to RSF’s World Press Freedom Index.
While Akgul’s release has been welcomed, the fate of the other detained journalists remains uncertain, with advocacy groups continuing to call for their immediate freedom and an end to what they describe as politically motivated prosecutions.
