Turkey detains more than 1,400 protesters and multiple journalists after jailing of leading opposition figure

(CNN) — A Turkish court on Tuesday placed seven journalists in custody after they were arrested while covering the protests in Istanbul, including a photojournalist for French news agency AFP, according to a media-freedom nonprofit and AFP.

“AFP strongly condemns the detention of its journalist and photographer Yasin Akgül and calls for his immediate release. This is a serious attack on the freedom of the media,” AFP said in a statement. “AFP calls on the Turkish authorities to respect the freedom of the press and the work of journalists, essential pillars of any democratic society.”

Six other journalists were also arrested on Tuesday, according to the Turkish free speech nonprofit Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).

Protests have been taking place across Turkey over the past week, including in the largest city Istanbul and the capital Ankara, amid anger over the jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu – the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Imamoglu was arrested on corruption charges at his home last Wednesday, just days before he was to be nominated as a candidate in the 2028 presidential election.

He has denied the charges against him, and critics say the arrest represents a dangerous turning point for Turkey, which has become increasingly authoritarian in recent years, according to international monitoring groups. In a post on X, Imamoglu said, “We will, hand in hand, uproot this blow, this black stain on our democracy… I am standing tall, I will not bow down.”

Authorities in Istanbul governorate banned protests and closed some roads “in order to maintain public order” and “prevent any provocative actions that may occur.”

Since last Wednesday, 1,418 protesters have been detained, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, following six days of demonstrations that the government has deemed “illegal.”

“While there are currently 979 suspects in custody, 478 people will be brought to court today,” Yerlikaya said in a social media post. “No concessions will be made to those who attempt to terrorize the streets, to attack our national and moral values, and to our police officers.”

AFP photographer Akgül has covered Turkish political news for AFP for 10 years, according to the news agency.

“His imprisonment is unacceptable. This is why I am asking you to intervene as quickly as possible to obtain the rapid release of our journalist,” said AFP chairman Fabrice Fries in a letter addressed to the Turkish presidency.

“Yasin Akgül was not part of the protest. As a journalist, he was covering one of the many demonstrations that have been organized in the country since Wednesday, March 19,” Fries said. “He has taken exactly 187 photographs since the start of the protests, each one a witness to his work as a journalist.”

Media outlets and journalists critical of the government have long faced censorship in Turkey, according to Reporters Without Borders, which says tactics “such as stripping them of press passes are commonplace.”

The government controls about 90% of the national media in Turkey, Reporters Without Borders noted.

Meanwhile, Freedom House, a US-based nonprofit research organization, has labelled Turkey as “not free” when it comes to internet and media freedom, citing several laws enacted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) “that increase censorship and surveillance and criminalize online speech.”

The country’s strongman leader Erdogan has been in power since 2003, first serving as Turkey’s prime minister, and later as president since 2014. In 2017, a referendum vote passed that expanded Erdogan’s presidential powers, potentially allowing him to remain in office until 2029.

Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), said Tuesday that it is planning a rally on Saturday in Istanbul.

CNN’s Mohammed Tawfeeq, Niamh Kennedy and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed to this report.

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