The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today condemned Turkish police raids   into the homes of nine journalists this morning in Istanbul, saying they represent a serious violation of the confidentiality of journalists' sources.

According to the Turkish Journalists' Syndicate, an EFJ/IFJ affiliate, police raided and searched the homes of nine journalists, Ahmet Şık, Nedim Şener, Doğan Yurdakul, Mümtaz İdil, İklim Bayraktar, Sait Kılıç, Müyesser Yıldız, Yalçın Küçük and Aydın Bıyıklı who are under police  supervision and facing arrest. Police also confiscated the journalists' computers and notebooks.

"We condemn this outrageous violation of a cardinal principle of press freedom," said Arne König, EFJ President. "This attack on protection of journalists'  sources is a blatant violation of free expression under the  European Convention of Human Rights which has been ratified by Turkey."

The raids come just two weeks after a court jailed three journalists of Oda TV, belonging to the opposition. But Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to deny that there is any government attempt to silence journalists.

"These denials are just not credible," said Aidan White, IFJ/EFJ General Secretary. "The authorities are clearly embarked on a campaign to discipline dissent and to stifle free speech in Turkey."

The IFJ says that today's raids targeted investigative journalists known for exposing malpractice, such as reporters Nedim Şener and Doğan Yurdakul. Şener, who works for Milliyet and Posta newspapers, published several news articles and books about the murder of Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish journalist and editor of Agos newspaper who was killed in 2007.  Ahmet Şık, faces charges for co-authoring  a  book critical of the the crackdown on the so-called Ergenekon network.

The Turkish Freedom for Journalists Platform, which includes the Turkish Syndicate, is organising a public debate at Taksim Square on Friday to denounce the latest attack on media.

The EFJ recently pressed the European Parliament and the Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Füle, to raise the threats to journalists with the Turkish government. The latest actions have done little to calm the media scene where many journalists live increasingly in fear and the EFJ will continue to press the EU to act. The EFJ with the Turkish Journalists Syndicate has again called for the immediate and unconditional release of more than 60 journalists currently in Turkish jails for doing their job. http://europe.ifj.org/en/articles/efj-urges-turkey-free-jailed-journalists-now

For more information contact the EFJ at 32 2 235 2200

The EFJ represents over 250,000 journalists in over 30 countries.