ISLAMABAD: Members of civil society, media organisations, press clubs from across the country and journalist unions have joined the Reporters Without Borders in its campaign for the release of its representative in Turkey, Erol Önderoglu.

“We, the Pakistani civil society, media rights groups, press clubs across the country and believers in the freedom of press demand of the Turkish government to release the representative of the Reporters Without Borders in Turkey since 1996, Erol Önderoglu.”

On June 20, a court in Istanbul placed Önderoglu in pre-trial detention along with two intellectuals, said a statement issued on Monday.

Önderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and human rights defender Sebnem Korur Fincanci have been charged with “terrorist propaganda” for taking part in a campaign launched to show solidarity with the Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem.

Reporters Without Borders is an international non-profit organisation working for press freedom and journalists’ rights across the globe since 1985.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2016