Turkey arrests opposition journalist over ‘false information’

A journalist from the Birgun newspaper critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been arrested for “spreading false information”, the left-wing outlet said.

Ismail Ari was detained on Saturday evening in the northern province of Tokat, which he was visiting to celebrate the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, before being taken to Ankara on Sunday morning for questioning, Birgun said.

“Ismail has never lied to the people,” Birgun posted on X.

The Istanbul-based paper, known for its investigations into the Turkish government, did not specify what articles led to Ari’s arrest.

“We repeat: journalism is not a crime. Ismail Ari must be released immediately,” the Turkish Journalists’ Union likewise wrote on X.

In late February, a Turkish journalist from Germany’s Deutsche Welle public broadcaster was likewise arrested and detained for the crime of allegedly “insulting the president”, prompting Berlin to demand his immediate release.

Rights group Reporters Without Borders ranks Turkey 159 out of 180 countries on its Press Freedom Index, between Pakistan and Venezuela.