The new Turkey
Arda Akin.
Journalist for the daily newspaper Hürriyet

24-Jan-2019 9:00

28 December 2018:

An indictment for Arda Akın, a reporter for the pro-government daily Hürriyet,charges the journalist with "aiding an armed terrorist organization knowingly and willingly without being a member," Diken reported. The journalist is accused of using social media to aid the Hizmet Movement, the group referred to as FETÖ by the government, according to Diken. CPJ previously documented how Akın was taken into custody shortly after the failed coup attempt in 2016, which the government blames on FETÖ.

10 September 2016:

Court frees journalist on probation, pending trial
Istanbul's Sixth Court of Penal Peace on September 9 released Hürriyet journalist Arda Akın on probation, pending trial, Hürriyet reported. Police arrested Akın on July 29 as part of a sweeping purge of suspected followers of preacher Fethullah Gülen, whom Turkish authorities accuse of maintaining a terrorist organization and a "parallel state structure" in Turkey that they say orchestrated the July 15 attempted military coup. After spending nearly a month in Istanbul's Silivri Prison, he is now banned from travel, and must check in at a police station regularly.

16 August 2016:
Newspaper reporter arrested, arraigned on terrorism charges
Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace today arraigned Arda Akın, a journalist for the daily newspaper Hürriyet, according to news reports. Akınfaces charges of knowingly and willingly aiding the Hizmet movement, which the Turkish government considers a terrorist organization, the reports said. Hürriyet reportedthat authorities had questioned the journalist about his news reports and activity on social media. Akın denied being a member of any organization.

28 July 2016:

Daily Hürriyet reporter detained over failed coup probe

Daily Hürriyet reporter Arda Akın was among the journalists detained on July 28 as part of the nationwide probe following Turkey’s failed military coup attempt of July 15. 

Akın was reportedly brought to the public security branch office in Istanbul’s Gayrettepe district after undergoing a medical examination. 

Detention warrants were issued for 42 journalists on July 25 as part of ongoing investigations against members of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) says was behind the failed coup attempt.

The International Press Institute released a statement to “express alarm” over the detentions. 

“Given recent developments, we fear that this is only the first wave of arrests targeting journalists in a crackdown that increasingly resembles a witch hunt,” IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis said.

“We urge Turkey’s international partners not to turn a blind eye to the human rights abuses being carried out in the name of upholding democracy. To do so invites a degree of authoritarianism and impunity that will only destabilize the region even further,” the statement also added.