site.btaTurkiye Releases Seven Journalists but Expels BBC Correspondent, Stops Opposition TV Channel

A Turkish court decided on Thursday to release from prison seven journalists who covered the protests sparked by the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Among those released is France-Presse photojournalist Yasin Akgul, whose detention was strongly condemned by the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA).

The journalists were detained at their homes before dawn on March 24 and charged with "participating in illegal gatherings and processions and refusing to disperse despite warnings," court documents show. The court later remanded them in custody.
 
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that its correspondent Mark Lowen had been deported from Turkiye after being detained in Istanbul on March 26 for covering the protests. 

Turkiye's media regulator, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK), announced Thursday that it is suspending the broadcasting rights of the opposition Sozju TV (SZC TV) for a period of ten days for having broadcast live protests in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir during which calls for civil disobedience and public order were made. Separately, several TV channels were fined for broadcasting the protests and for "crossing the limit of criticism in their broadcasts".

Against this backdrop, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc reaffirmed Turkiye's commitment to human rights and called his country a "safe haven" at a news conference with foreign journalists on Thursday.

The Minister underscored that interference in judicial proceedings is contrary to the basic principle of the rule of law. "We do not accept prejudices and double standards in relation to Turkiye", he said, referring to the apparent concern over the arrest of Istanbul's Mayor or the criticism of the police's actions by countries such as Germany, France and institutions such as the European Commission and the Council of Europe. 

Last night, there was no planned rally of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in front of Istanbul's Metropolitan Municipality, but instead preparations for the traditional Iftar dinner (during the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims) took place in Sarachane Park, the usual centre of protests.

In the capital, however, Turkish police used pepper spray, rubber bullets and water cannons against demonstrators in the early hours of Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

A total of 1,879 people have been detained for taking part in the protests that began in Turkiye a week ago, with 260 of them remanded in custody, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya was quoted as saying by the Haberler news website. The protests have resulted in 150 injured police officers.

At the same time, students and lecturers from numerous universities in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara continue to boycott the educational process and join the protests in support of the arrested Mayor of Istanbul, the BirGun daily said. 

The demonstrations began last week after the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Imamoglu is in custody on corruption charges, which many believe are politically motivated, and is also accused of supporting terrorism. 

At a meeting in Ankara on Thursday, the CHP party decided to hold an extraordinary congress on April 6 and formally announced Imamoglu's candidacy for the presidency.

Imamoglu won the CHP's internal party elections on March 23, in which, according to reports quoted in opposition media, 15 million people voted - both party members and citizens in solidarity with the opposition formation.