Turkey slammed for troubling trend of silencing journalists with jail

ISTANBUL (Web Desk) - Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called for the release of its in-country journalists and two other activists held on charges of "disseminating terrorist propaganda" on Friday.

Secretary-General of RSF Christophe Deloire has said “The attacks on freedom of the press are more and more serious, and even the expressions of solidarity are being fought against,”

Deloire also leads a protest in front of Istanbul's Metris Prison, where the three journalists are being held.

Local media organisations are alarmed by recent moves toward expanded censorship and curb to press freedom.

RSF Turkey representative and journalist Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin, and human rights activist and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci on Monday were charged with "terror propaganda" after guest-editing the pro-Kurdish daily "Ozgur Gundem."

Istanbul prosecutors requested that the journalists be handed prison sentences ranging from a minimum of two years up to nearly 15 years.

Press freedom has witnessed steady degradation since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power as prime minister in 2003.