BirGün Columnist Barış İnce Released After Four Days in Custody

Following his police interrogation, İnce was brought to the courthouse in handcuffs at around 3:30 PM. After giving his statement to the prosecutor, he was released without charges.

Greeted by supporters outside the courthouse, İnce thanked those who stood in solidarity during his detention.

Arrest Requested for Left Party Member Mehmet Duman

Mehmet Duman, a member of the Left Party (SOL Parti), who was detained on the same day as İnce, has been referred to court with a request for formal arrest. A judge is expected to rule on the request later today.

RSF Calls for Immediate Release of Detained Journalists

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu welcomed the release of a journalist in Istanbul earlier this week but called for the immediate release of journalists still detained in İzmir.

“We are relieved by the release of our colleague in Istanbul, but we are deeply concerned about the unjust detention of our colleagues in İzmir, now on their fourth day in custody. We demand their immediate release. Journalism must not be criminalized,” Önderoğlu said.

He added: “The collective detention—and now partial release—of journalists underscores both the importance of professional solidarity and the deliberate, scandalous targeting of journalism. This is unacceptable.”

Press Freedom Protest Held in İzmir

Journalists gathered in İzmir’s Cumhuriyet Square on Thursday to protest the detentions, holding signs that read “Journalism Is Not a Crime.” The demonstration was organized by the İzmir Journalists’ Association (İzmir Gazeteciler Cemiyeti, İGC), Journalists’ Union of Turkey (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası, TGS), Press Freedom and Media Studies Association (BAMAD), Progressive Journalists Association (Çağdaş Gazeteciler Derneği, ÇGD), and the Turkish Photojournalists Association (Türkiye Foto Muhabirleri Derneği, TFMD).

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay also attended the protest in a show of support.

Press organizations issued joint statements condemning the detentions and urging authorities to immediately release all journalists held in custody.

Seven Journalists Released in Istanbul

Separately, seven journalists detained while covering protests in Istanbul’s Saraçhane district on March 25 have been released. The journalists include AFP correspondent Yasin Akgül, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality photographer Kurtuluş Arı, NOW TV reporter Ali Onur Tosun, as well as Zeynep Kuray, Hayri Tunç, Gökhan Kam, and Bülent Kılıç.