Delal Akyüz, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency in the western city of Izmir, has been held under house arrest without charge since February 2024.
Izmir police raided the houses of five journalists, including Akyüz, and took them into custody on February 13, 2024. Police kept the detainees handcuffed from behind for hours while they were in custody, according to reports and the journalists, who spoke to CPJ. On February 16, three of the journalists, including Akyüz, were placed under house arrest under suspicion of terrorism activity by an Izmir court. The court ordered electronic tagging to ensure they do not leave their homes. Akyüz told CPJ that the house arrest is hindering his ability to work.
The two others were released under judicial control, which involves the obligation to report to a police station twice a week and a ban on foreign travel.
Akyüz was the only one of the three placed under house arrest who had not been charged as of early December 2024. The other two—Mezopotamya reporter Tolga Güney and Melike Aydın, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish news website JİNNEWS—were indicted on charges of membership in the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is classified by Turkey as a terrorist organization.
Akyüz spoke to CPJ via messaging app in November 2024 and said he does not know why he has not been indicted. The journalist denies being involved in any criminal or terrorist activity.
CPJ’s email to the Turkish Ministry of Justice in November 2024 did not receive any reply.