Hürriyet Daily Reporter Arda Akın Arrested

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Hürriyet daily reporter Arda Akın has been arrested on the charge of “Aiding the organization [Fethullahist Terror Organization] willingly and deliberately” as part of of the “July 15 coup attempt” investigation carried out by İstanbul Chief Public Prosecution.

Detained earlier, Akın was released on probation and banned from leaving the country after a judicatory questioning on July 29. An arrest warrant was issued for Akın upon the prosecution’s objection.

Going to the police station as part of probation proceedings last morning (August 15), Akın has been detained and brought to the prosecution office.

Akın refused the charges

As Hürriyet daily reported, Akın was asked questions about some of his tweets, a message he sent to one of the then-Security Directors Mutlu Ekizoğlu as to the match-fixing investigation, and the February 7 MİT (National Intelligence Agency) crisis.

Akın, explaining that he saw the report of the MİT crisis on a news site and presented it as an allegation since they couldn’t have it confirmed, defended that his posts on social networking sites had nothing to do with the July 15 coup attempt.

Akın, refusing the charges said, “I have been a journalist for 18 years, I’ve worked with every police officer of different ideologies. I’ve become a police reporter because I think they work for vital interests of the state and that is why I always meet them.”

Akın, who was referred to the İstanbul 5th Criminal Court of Peace On Duty for arrest following his interrogation has been arrested on the charge of “Aiding the organization [Fethullahist Terror Organization] willingly and deliberately”.

With Akın’s arrest, the number of arrested journalists climbed to 42. (EA/TK)