Journalist and writer Ahmet Altan and his brother Mehmet Altan, a professor of economics, were detained on September 10 in the investigation launched after the July 15 coup attempt. The detentions have created an enormous backlash across the world, with hundreds of international intellectuals signing a letter of protest.

Lawyers for the Altan brothers have said the exact nature of the accusations remains unknown, as the prosecutor has gone on holiday and other officials have failed to provide formal documentation regarding the allegations. However, the lawyers said they had reason to believe that the two writers were taken into custody for sending “subliminal messages” to the public to support a coup.

According to the state-owned Anadolu News Agency, Can Tuncay, the prosecutor who ruled for the detention of Ahmet and Mehmet Altan, said the two journalists, along with journalist Nazlı Ilıcak -- who has been under arrest as part of the coup investigation -- gave “messages that were associated with a coup” during a political debate show on Can Erzincan TV, in his formal decision justifying the detention order. The TV station that hosted the program was swiftly shut down under a decree having the force of law under Turkey’s post-coup State of Emergency regulations.

On Sept. 12, Veysel Ok and Ergin Cinmen, lawyers representing the Altans, released a statement in which they expressed concern about the state of their clients. The lawyers said they visited the Istanbul Courthouse on Sept. 12 to file an objection against the Altan brothers’ detention, however were told that the prosecutor who issued the warrant was unavailable as he had started his Eid vacation. “We were also unable to find a Judicature of Peace judge to examine our objection”, Ok and Cinmen said in their joint statement.

They further said that no formal charges had been put forth against their clients. “Since a confidentiality order has been issued on the investigation files, the information we have been able to obtain as lawyers is limited to what’s been leaked to the press.”

The lawyers said that they were under the impression – based on what the prosecutor’s office has leaked to the press – the Altans were being accused of participating in a coup plot by giving “subliminal” or “subconscious” messages. They also noted that the prosecutor alleges that the two writers were collaborating with the military officers behind the coup.

“No evidence for the flippant accusations that needed to be collected to comply with due diligence requirements to warrant the detentions has been produced. We haven’t been provided any information regarding the health status or legal situation of both our clients. This situation is as violation of the Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the relevant provisions of Turkey’s Criminal Procedure Code (CMK).”

Journalist released in coup probe

Hürriyet reporter Arda Akın, who was detained late in July in the coup investigation, was released on Sept. 9. Akın was released after a formal objection filed by his lawyer with the Judicature of Peace was accepted.

New information about previous arrests

P24 has been informed that the owner of the local Çorum Manşet newspaper, published in Çorum province, who had been detained earlier in the investigation has been put under arrest. The owner, Lokman Erdoğan was placed under arrest with Murat Öztürk, the managing editor of the same newspaper.

Detentions of Yeniçağ columnists

Between Sept. 6 and Sept. 8, Yavuz Selim Demirağ, Adnan İslamoğulları, Servet Avcı and Kürşad Zorlu of the Yeniçağ newspaper were detained. Ağcı and Demirağ were released on Sept. 7, but the other two remain in custody.

Investigations outside coup probe

Two Evrensel Newspapers, Cemil Uğur and Halil İbrahim Polat, who had been in detention for more than a week, were released on Sept. 7.

Mehmet Kurnaz, a DİHA correspondent who was detained on Sept. 4 in Ankara while reporting on a police intervention in a street protest organized by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), was released on Sept. 9.

Two employees of the Kurdish language Azadiya Welat, Şirin Çoban and İlker İlkan, were arrested on Sept. 9 on charges of “propagating on behalf of a terror organization.”

On Sept. 8, the editor-in-chief of the Atılım Newspaper, Deniz Bakır and Rıdvan Coşkun, a correspondent for the Kurdish news agency ETHA, were detained by police. Both journalists were released on probation on Sept. 9.

Number of journalists in jail at 120

With the recent release of Arda Akın, the arrests of two Azadiya Welat employees and new information regarding Çorum Manşet journalists’ arrest status, the total number of journalists who have been convicted or who remain under arrest without a conviction, has reached 120. According to data shared jointly by the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS), the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) and the press union of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DİSK), 200 journalists have been detained under State of Emergency while 2308 journalists were fired from their organizations.

Last known legal status of journalists for whom detention warrants have been issued as part of post-coup probe

Abdullah Abdulkadiroğlu, Samanyolu TV, Left the country according to AA

Abdullah Alparslan Akkuş,Former NTV news editor, Released

Abdullah Katırcıoğlu, Under arrest

Abdullah Kılıç, Meydan columnist, Under arrest

Abdullah Özyurt, local Adana journalists, Under arrest

Adil Gülçek, Former Cihan Medya director

Ahmet Dönmez, Former Zaman reporter, Left the country according to AA

Ahmet Memiş, Newsdar, Under arrest

Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Cihan Medya President, Under arrest

Ahmet Turan Alkan, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Ahmet Yavaş, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest

Alaattin Güner, Former Cihan Medya director, Under arrest

Alaattin Kaya, formerly owner to Zaman’s rights, Under arrest

Ali Akbulut, formerly owner to Zaman’s rights

Ali Akkuş, Former Zaman general publications editor, Under arrest

Ali Bulaç, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Ali Ünal, former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Ali Yurttagül, former Zaman columnist Arda Akın, Hürriyet reporter, Released on probation

Arzu Yıldız, Haberdar Ankara Bureau Chief

Ayhan Şimşek , Released on probation

Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak, Yarına Bakış, Under arrest Ayşe Özkalay, former Yeni Hayat columnist

Ayşenur Parıldak, Zaman, Under arrest

Aytekin Gezici, Under arrest Asım Yıldırım, former STV anchor Atilla Taş, Meydan columnist, Under arrest

Aziz İstegün, Former Zaman Diyarbakır regional representative, Under arrest

Bayram Kaya, Zaman, Yeni Hayat reporter, Under arrest

Behçet Akyar

Bertan Golali, TRT İstanbul, Under arrest

Bilal Şahin, Özgür Düşünce, Left the country according to AA

Bülent Ceyhan, Özgür Düşünce reporter, Left the country according to AA

Bülent Keneş, Former Today's Zaman Editor-in-chief

Bülent Korucu, Former Zaman columnist Can Bahadır Yüce, former Zaman columnist Celil Sağır,Today's Zaman managing editor

Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Under arrest

Cevheri Güven, Nokta Magazine Editor-in-chief

Cihan Acar, Former Bugün reporter,

Cihat Ünal, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Cuma Kaya, Under arrest

Cuma Ulus, Former Millet publications coordinator, Under arrest

Cumali Önal, Former Zaman Arabic service editor, Under arrest

Dinçer Gökçe,Hürriyet internet editor, Released on probation

Eda Şanlı, owner of local Antalya newspaper, Bizim Antalya columnist, Under arrest

Emre Koçali, Newsdar, Under arrest

Emre Soncan, Former Zaman defense reporter, Under arrest

Ercan Gün, Fox TV News Editor, Under arrest

Erdal Şen, Meydan Editor, Under arrest

Ergun Babahan, Left the country according to AA Erhan Başyurt, former Bugün editor-in-chief

Erkan Akkuş, Former Bugün TV anchor

Erkan Büyük, Newsdar, Under arrest

Ertuğrul Erbaş, Former Nokta Magazine editor Eyüp Can Sağlık, former Radikal GYY, former Hürriyet digital press coordinator

Faruk Akkan, Cihan Ajansı, Under arrest Faruk Arslan, former Zaman columnist

Faruk Kardıç

Fatih Akalan, Samanyolu News Tv commentator, Left the country according to AA

Fatih Yağmur, Former Radikal reporter, Left the country according to AA

Fevzi Yazıcı, Under arrest Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türk Solu columnist, Under arrest

Gültekin Avcı, Bugün, Under arrest

Habip Güler, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Hakan Bülent Yardımcı, Under arrest

Hakan Taşdelen, Under arrest

Halil İbrahim Mert, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest

Hamit Bilici, Former Zaman Editor-in-chief

Hamit Çiçek

Hanım Büşra Erdal, Former Zaman reporter and columnist, Under arrest Hasan Cücük, former Zaman reporter

Haşim Söylemez, Former Aksiyon Magazine columnist, Under arrest

Hilmi Yavuz, Former Zaman columnist, Let go due to health condition, will testify later

Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter, Under arrest

Hüseyin Döğme

Hüseyin Turan, Feza Group partner, Under arrest

İbrahim Balta, Former Zaman finance editor, Under arrest

İbrahim Karayeğen, Eski Zaman newsroom editor, Under arrest İbrahim Öztürk, former Zaman columnist

İhsan Duran Dağı, Former Zaman columnist, Released by prosecutor

İhsan Yılmaz, former Today's Zaman columnist

İsa Siyi, Haberdar, Under arrest

İskender Yunus Tiryaki,Bugün reporter, Under arrest

Kamil Maman, Former Bugün reporter, Left the country according to AA Kemal Gülen, STV anchor

Kenan Baş, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest  Kerim Balcı, Turkish Review magazine editor-in-chief

Kerim Gün, Former Zaman editor

Lalezar Sarıibrahimoğlu (Lale Kemal), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Levent Arap,Postmedya.com website administrator, Released on probation

Levent Kenez, Meydan Editor-in-chief

Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet, Under arrest Mahmut Akpınar, former Millet columnist

Mahmut Hazar, Cihan News Ajansı, Left the country according to AA

Mehmet Akif Afşar

Mehmet Gündem, Former Milliyet columnist, Released by the court

Mehmet Kamış, Former Zaman columnist

Mehmet Kuru, Former Zaman Eskişehir reporter, Under arrest

Mehmet Özdemir, Under arrest

Melih Kılıç, Zaman Medya Group sales department executive

Metin Tamer Gökçeoğlu

Metin Yıkar, Samanyolu News

Muhammed Fatih Uğur, Former Zaman news manager

Murat Aksoy,Yarına Bakış columnist, Under arrest

Murat Avcıoğlu, Under arrest Murat Öztürk, Çorum Manşet, Under arrest

Mustafa Erkan Acar, Cihan News Ajansı, Under arrest

Mustafa Ünal, Under arrest Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet newsroom coordinator, Under arrest

Mümtaz'er Türköne, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Mürsel Genç, Former Cihan reporter

Nevzat Güner

Nuri Durna, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest

Nuriye Ural (Akman), Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Nurullah Kaya, Former Zaman Gaziantep bureau chief, Under arrest

Nurullah Öztürk,Yeni Şafak former Genel Koordinatörü ve Zaman columnist, Released

Oktay Vızvız

Olgun Matur, Antalya Yerel, Under arrest

Osman Nuri Arslan, FİA Şirketi Ortağı, Released on probation

Osman Nuri Öztürk, Released on probation

Osman Özsoy, Left the country according to AA

Osman Yakut, Former Zaman Antalya Reporter, Under arrest

Ömer Karakaş

Ömer Şahin ,Meydan’s former Ankara bureau chief, Released Önder Deligöz, former Yeni Şafak reporter

Özcan Keser, TRT İstanbul, Under arrest

Özkan Mayda, Antalya Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Rasih Yılmaz,Samanyoluhaber columnist, Released

Resul Cengiz, Former Zaman Denizli reporter, Under arrest

Rıfat Söylemez, Adana Günaydın, Under arrest

Sait Sefa, Haberdar Savaş Genç, former TRT reporter and academic

Sedat Yetişkin

Selahattin Sevi, Former Zaman photography coordinator, Left the country according to AA Selçuk Gültaşlı, Zaman Brussels representative and Zaman columnist

Sevgi Akarçeşme, Former Today’s Zaman editor-in-chief

Seyid Kılıç, Former TRT reporter, Under arrest

Süleyman Sargın

Şahin Alpay, Former Zaman columnist, Under arrest

Şemsettin Efe, Samanyolu News, Left the country according to AA

Şenol Kahraman

Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV, Under arrest

Taner Talaş, Adana local journalist, Under arrest

Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya, Under arrest

Turan Görüryılmaz, Can Erzincan TV sunucusu, Left the country according to AA Turhan Bozkurt, former Zaman columnist

Ufuk Emin Köroğlu, Karşı Gazete reporter, Left the country according to AA

Ufuk Şanlı, Former Vatan columnist, Under arrest Vahit Yazgan, Former Zaman İzmir representative, Under arrest

Vedat Demir, Former Yarına Bakış columnist, Under arrest

Veysel Ayhan

Yakup Çetin, Former Zaman reporter, Under arrest

Yakup Sağlam, Former Samanyolu reporter, Released on probation

Yakup Şimşek, Former Zaman marketing department director, Under arrest

Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum), Under arrest Yavuz Baydar, former Bugün columnist Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim.com owner, Under arrest Yonca Kaya Şahin, Rotahaber columnist

Yüksel Durgut

Yüksel Evsen, Adana local journalist, Under arrest

Zafer Özsoy, Under arrest

Zeki Önal, Not detained due to advanced age and illness.

Journalists detained under State of Emergency outside coup probe

Selami Aslan – DİHA, Released

Selman Keleş – DİHA, Under arrest

İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest

Mehmet Sıddık Damar – DİHA, Released

Esra Aydın – JİNHA, Released

Geylan Arslan – JİNHA, Released

Nizamettin Yılmaz – Azadiya Welat, Under arrest

İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest

Haydar Ergül – Demokratik Modernite, Under arrest

Hasan Akbaş – Evrensel, Released

Fırat Topal – Evrensel, Released

Serpil Berk – Evrensel, Released

Sertaç Kayar – Serbest Gazeteci, Released

Engin Eren – DİHA, Under arrest

Fatma Edemen – ETHA, Released

Davut Uçar– Özgür Gündem, Released

Doğan Güzel– Özgür Gündem, Released

Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released

Günay Aksoy – Özgür Gündem, Released

Kemal Bozkurt – Özgür Gündem, Released

Reyhan Hacıoğlu – Özgür Gündem, Released

Önder Elaldı – Özgür Gündem, Released

Ender Önder – Özgür Gündem, Released

Sinan Balık – Özgür Gündem, Released

Fırat Yeşilçınar – Özgür Gündem, Released

Özgür Paksoy – DİHA reporter, Released

Zeki Erden – Özgür Gündem, Released

Elif Aydoğmuş – Özgür Gündem, Released

Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released

Mesut Kaynar – DİHA, Released

Sevdiye Gürbüz – Özgür Gündem, Released

Amine Demirkıran – Özgür Gündem, Released

Bayram Balcı – Özgür Gündem, Released

Burcu Özkaya – Özgür Gündem, Released

Yılmaz Bozkurt –Press Office of Chamber of Medicine, Released

Gülfem Karataş – İMC TV, Released

Gökhan Çetin – İMC TV, Released

Hüseyin Gündüz – Doğu Yayınevi , Released

Halil Polat – Freelancer, Under arrest

Sabahattin Koyuncu – DİHA, Under arrest

Cemil Uğur – Evrensel, Under arrest

Yasemin Sayın– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest

Hayat Yılmaz– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest

Ahmet Kızılaya– Azadiya Welat, Released

Arap Turan– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Berxwedan Tulpar– Azadiya Welat, Released

Sürreya Dal– Azadiya Welat, Released

Zeynep İzgi– Azadiya Welat, In custody

İbrahim Bayram– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Engin Özelçi– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Ahmet Boltan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ceylan İpek– Azadiya Welat, Released

Mehmet Emin Kaya– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ziyan Karahan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Veysi Altın– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ercan Yeltaş– Azadiya Welat, Released

Azime Tarhan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Serdal Polat– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Cengiz Aslan– Azadiya Welat, Released

Ferit Toprak– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Mehmet Hüseyin Şahin– Azadiya Welat, Released

Mehmet Aydın– Azadiya Welat, Released

Pusat Bulut– Azadiya Welat, In custody

Mehmet Emin Akgün – Azadiya Welat, Released

Mecrum Tokal, Azadiya Welat (Released to be detained again on the same day), In custody

Mehmet Ali Ertaş – DİHA, In custody

Journalists known to have been arrested during State of Emergency outside coup probe

Zeynel Abidin Bulut – Azadiya Welat

Zehra Doğan – JİNHA

Hülya Karakaya – Özgür Halk

Mehmet Arslan – DİHA

Şermin Soydan – DİHA

Lindsey Snell – Freelancer

Aslı Erdoğan – Özgür Gündem

Metin Bekiroğlu – DİHA

İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem

Zana (Bilir) Kaya – Özgür Gündem

Erdem Muhirci – DİHA

Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat

Necmiye Alpay – Özgür Gündem

Sabahattin Koyuncu - DİHA

Arap Turan - Azadiya Welat

Ferit Toprak - Azadiya Welat

Rabia Özkaya - Özgür Halk

Şirin Çoban – Azadiya Welat

İlker İlkan – Azadiya Welat

List of journalists arrested before State of Emergency

Abdulkadir Turay, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat representative

Arafat Dayan, Demokratik Ulus former managing editor

Cebrail Parıltı, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) Derik reporter

Emin Demir, Freelancer

Erdal Süsem, Eylül Magazine Editor

Erol Zavar, Odak magazine’s owner

Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep representative

Feyyaz İmrak, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine

Hamit Dilbahar, Azadiya Welat columnist

Hatice Duman, owner of Atılım newspaper

Hidayet Karaca, President of Samanyolu Media

Kamuran Sunbat, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA)

Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya Editor-in-chief

Mazlum Dolan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Mehmet Arslan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter, (has been released since)

Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist

Mikail Barut, Özgür Halk Magazine former Editor

Miktat Algül, Mezitli FM, General broadcast coordinator

Muhammed Doğru, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Mustafa Gök, Ekmek ve Adalet Magazine Ankara representative

Nedim Türfent, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim Temsilcisi

Özgür Amed (Ethem Çağır), Özgür Gündem columnist

Sami Tunca, Mücadele Birliği Magazine news editor

Serkan Aydemir, Bitlis Aktüel reporter

Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana

Şahabettin Demir, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Şerife Oruç, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Şermin Soydan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk Magazine Editor

Ziya Ataman, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) Intern

List of media outlets shut down under State of Emergency decrees

TV Stations: Barış TV, Bugün TV, Can Erzincan TV, Dünya TV, Hira TV, Irmak TV, Kanal 124, Kanaltürk, MC TV, Mehtap TV, Merkür TV, Samanyolu Haber, Samanyolu TV, SRT TV, Tuna Shopping TV, Yumurcak TV.

Haber Agencies: Cihan Haber Ajansı, Muhabir Haber Ajansı and SEM Haber Ajansı

Haberpapers: Adana Haber, Adana Medya, Akdeniz Türk, Şuhut’un Sesi, Kurtuluş, Lider, İscehisar, Durum, Türkeli, Antalya, Yerel Bakış, Nazar, Batman, Batman Postası, Batman Doğuş, Bingöl Olay, İrade, İskenderun Olay, Ekonomi, Ege’de Son Söz, Demokrat Gebze, Kocaeli Manşet, Bizim Kocaeli, Haber Kütahya, Gediz, Zafer, Hisar, Turgutlu Havadis, Milas Feza, Türkiye’de Yeni Yıldız, Hakikat, Urfa Haber Ajansı, Ajans 11, Yeni Emek, Banaz Postası, Son Nokta, Merkür Haber, Millet, Bugün, Meydan, Özgür Düşünce, Taraf, Yarına Bakış, Yeni Hayat, Zaman, Today’s Zaman, Özgür Gündem.

Magazines: Akademik Araştırmalar, Aksiyon, Asya Pasifik, Bisiklet Çocuk, Diyalog, Avrasya, Ekolife, Ekoloji, Fountain, Gonca, Gül Yaprağı, Nokta, Sızıntı, Yağmur, Yeni Ümit, Zirve.

Radio stations: Aksaray Mavi, Aktüel, Berfin, Burç, Cihan, Dünya, Esra, Haber Radyo Ege, Herkül, Jest, Kanaltürk, Radyo 59, Radyo Aile Rehberi, Radyo Bamteli, Radyo Cihan, Radyo Fıkıh, Radyo Küre, Radyo Mehtap, Radyo Nur, Radyo Şemşik, Samanyolu Haber, Umut, Yağmur.

Publishing houses: Altınburç, Burak Basın Yayın Dağıtım, Define, Dolunay Eğitim Yayın Dağıtım, Giresun Basın Yayın Dağıtım, Gonca, Gülyurdu, GYV, Işık Akademi, Işık Özel Eğitim, İklim Basın Yayın Pazarlama, Kaydırak, Kaynak, Kervan Basın Yayıncılık, Kuşak, Muştu, Nil, Rehber, Sürat Basım Yayın Reklamcılık Eğitim Araçları, Sütun, Şahdamar, Ufuk Basın Yayın Haber Ajans Pazarlama, Ufuk, Waşanxaneya Nil, Yay Basın Dağıtım, Yeni Akademi, Yitik Hazine, Zambak Basın Yayın Eğitim Turizm

*Glossary of legal terms used in this text

Detain / Place in custody: To hold in police custody for police interrogation first, and later for testimony to a prosecutor. Might lead to a court appearance depending on the action taken by the prosecutor. 

Arrest: To put into prison indefinitely – by court order – pending trial. 

Released on probation: Released with an international flight ban issued. Usually entails checking in regularly with a designated police station. 

These lists have been compiled by P24 editors from open news sources and will be updated regularly. Journalists who want to report developments about themselves or their colleagues can contact us at punto24info@gmail.com