Can Dündar, Editor-in-chief director of the Turkish daily newspaper Cumhuriyet, and Erdem Gül, the daily’s Ankara bureau chief, were released after the ruling of the Constitutional Court, according to which their arrest had violated their rights. After they left Silivri prison, on the outskirts of Istanbul, where they had been detained for 92 days on charges of terrorism, they were awaited by a large representation of the people who for months had protested against the pressure by the government and the courts on dozens of journalists.
Dündar and Gul were arrested on Nov. 26 and accused of espionage threatening state security and supporting an armed terrorist organization because they had published in Cumhuriyet stories about Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MIT) trucks that were allegedly transporting weapons to unidentified groups in Syria in 2014.
"We think that the Constitutional Court ruling is a historic fact," said Dündar to reporters outside the prison, surrounded by friends and family. "This verdict paved the way not only for us but for all our colleagues and for the freedom of press and expression", he said, adding that his release was his "birthday present" for President Erdogan, who is 62 years today.
Dündar and Gül stressed that their release does not mean that the issue of press freedom is settled in Turkey and reiterated that they will continue to fight for the other journalists still in prison. "The Constitutional Court has applied the criteria of the European Convention of Human Rights. This is hopeful for our 30 colleagues arrested".
Despite their release, the two journalists still risk a possible life sentence and 30 years in prison in the trial that is expected to begin March 25. They are also forbidden to leave the country.