Convicted journalist guest edits Turkey daily after arrests

A prominent Turkish journalist handed a lengthy jail sentence on charges of revealing state secrets defiantly guest-edited an opposition daily on Tuesday, a day after three activists were arrested and jailed for performing the same role.

Pro-Kurdish Turkish daily Ozgur Gundem has for weeks invited guest editors to take control of the newspaper, in a show of solidarity at a time when the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is under fire for eroding press freedoms.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and rights activist and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci were charged on Monday with "terrorist propaganda" for taking part in the paper's campaign.

On Tuesday, the guest editor was the editor-in-chief of the opposition Cumhuriyet daily, Can Dundar, who was in May sentenced to five years and 10 months in jail for revealing state secrets in a case that sparked an international outcry.

He remains free pending the hearing of his appeal against the sentence.

"I congratulate them (the three detained) for this struggle and will continue to support them," he told the editorial meeting, quoted by the newspaper.

"The arrests yesterday are a message. It's a message that 'if you are near the truth you are going to be arrested'. We received this message and will stand by them."

"By arresting Erol (of RSF) they wanted to send a message not just to Turkey but the world," he added.

The arrests have been bitterly condemned by rights and media freedom groups. The EU Commission said their detention "goes against Turkey's commitment to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of media."

"The EU has repeatedly stressed that Turkey, as a candidate country, must aspire to the highest possible democratic standards and practices," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement.

Dunja Mijatovic, the OSCE media freedom representative, said Turkey should "stop using imprisonment as a way to fight differing voices".

Dundar's stint marked the 50th day Ozgur Gundem has employed a guest editor in its campaign. The authorities are investigating dozens of other activists and journalists who have performed the role.