Human Rights Watch:
Turkey: Pre-Election Crackdown on Kurds Free, End Harassment of Journalists, Party Officials, Lawyers
(Istanbul, April 25, 2023) –Absent any credible evidence of wrongdoing, Turkey should release dozens of Kurdish journalists, political party officials, and lawyers arrested in raids on April 25, 2023, in advance of the May 14 national elections, 18 organizations including Human Rights Watch said today. The following is their statement:
Turkey: International groups demand release of Kurdish journalists, lawyers, political party officials arrested in pre-election crackdown. Media freedom, freedom of expression, and human rights organisations call on Turkish authorities to stop the systematic harassment and intimidation of Kurdish journalists, media workers, media outlets, the lawyers that defend them, and Kurdish political party officials, give them access to legal counsel, disclose full details of charges brought and to ensure that they are released from detention. We reiterate the need for a free and pluralistic media atmosphere in the run up to the elections that will be held on 14 May 2023.