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On 31 October 2016 Turkish police launched a mass operation against the newspaper Cumhuriyet, one of the last remaining sources of independent news and information in Turkey. 

Police arrested at least 13 journalists at the newspaper, including Editor-in-Chief and IPI Member Murat Sabuncu and columnist Kadri Gürsel, who is also a member of the Executive Board of the International Press Institute (IPI) and who chairs IPI’s Turkey National Committee. Gürsel is a widely respected journalist and press freedom advocate. 

Sabuncu, Gürsel and their colleagues are currently being held in police detention. Under Turkey’s emergency powers, those detained may be denied access to their lawyers for up to five days and held for up to one month without an official indictment.

Cumhuriyet is a newspaper known for its critical stance towards the government and Cumhuriyet’s journalists are behind bars simply for doing their job: fearless, independent journalism. 

Help us call for their immediate release by signing this petition to the Turkish government.

#freeturkeyjournalists #freekadri  #freemurat  

Want to do more to #freeturkeyjournalists?

IPI Members have already mobilised and are posting their videos to ask for the release of Kadri, Murat and their colleagues at Cumhuriyet. Watch the videos on our Facebook page and join us on social media by posting your video or photo with the hashtags #freeturkeyjournalists #freekadri #freemurat to support Cumhuriyet’s journalists and call for their release!