Five more journalists in Turkey joined dozens of their colleagues who went to jail on Wednesday, World Press Freedom Day, the Mezopotamya news agency reported.

On Wednesday, a court in Ankara ordered the detention of journalist Dicle Muftioglu, co-chairman of the Union of Journalists Ditke Ferat, and executive director of the Mesopotamia News Agency Sedat Yılmaz, as well as three other journalists – Erol Balci, Abdurrahim Tanyeli and Ramazan Debe.

Journalists were among 19 people arrested over the weekend during operations in 15 provinces as part of an investigation commissioned by Ankara.

Of the 15 people brought to court for detention, five were arrested, all journalists, the rest were released. It is not known what charges the journalists were arrested on, but Kurdish journalists in Turkey are regularly accused of terrorism due to their alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The arrest of five journalists, mostly working for pro-Kurdish media outlets, follows the arrest of four of their colleagues last week in a massive anti-Kurdish operation ahead of the crucial May 14 elections.

More than 120 people were arrested during the operation, including Kurdish activists, lawyers and politicians. Among them, four journalists – Beritan Kanozer, Mehmetsa Orukh, Abdurrahman Gok and Mikayil Barut – are accused of membership in the PKK.

On May 3, the freedom of journalists and their contribution to a democratic society are celebrated at the international level.

Source: Mesopotamia, Turkish Minute.