Turkey arrests three press freedom activists

A court in Turkey has charged three people with "terrorist propaganda", including a representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The Turkish court ordered the arrest of RSF representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci for reportedly participating in a solidarity campaign in support of Ozgur Gundem, a pro-Kurdish newspaper.

The arrests come despite the EU pressuring Ankara to stop prosecuting academics and journalists.

RSF said it was "an unbelievable low for press freedom in Turkey".

"This is another dark day for media freedom in Turkey," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's eastern Europe and central Asia desk.

Press freedom activists have warned that freedom of expression in Turkey has dramatically declined recently, and that lawsuits against journalists, academics and other public figures are increasingly common.

Bihr described Onderoglu, who had worked for RSF for two decades, as a "victim of the abuses he always denounced".

The academic Sebnem Korur Financi is the chairwoman of Turkey's Human Rights Foundation, and Ahmet Nesin a well-known journalist.

In May a Turkish court jailed two prominent journalists for revealing state secrets, in a case widely criticised by international observers.

Can Dundar and Erdem Gul, editor and Ankara bureau chief of opposition daily Cumhuriyet, reported that Turkey had tried to ship arms to rebels fighting the Syrian government.