My friends and I were arrested in Turkey. I was let go but my friend is still in prison.
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- Published on Sunday, 01 November 2015 12:45
- Written by editor
My good friend and fellow journalist Rasool was arrested and jailed on baseless charges in late August while covering a breaking story in Turkey. Join us in fighting this injustice and demand that Rasool be released immediately.
Sign Jake’s petition
PAOV –
My name is Jake Hanrahan, and I am a journalist with VICE News. In late August, I was working on a story in southeastern Turkey with my two friends and colleagues, Philip Pendlebury and Mohammed Rasool, when we were unexpectedly arrested by Turkish authorities on baseless charges. Phillip and I, who are British citizens, were released after 11 days, but Rasool, who is originally from Iraq, is still being held.
When we were arrested, we were working on a story about the current conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which had claimed hundreds of lives in just six weeks. Without any evidence, Turkish authorities charged us with aiding a terrorist organisation.
Rasool is not a terrorist. He is a respected, passionate, and hardworking 25-year-old journalist. And despite committing no crime, Rasool is being kept in a high-security anti-terror prison. He is also being held in legal limbo – the prosecutor hasn't pressed charges and has shown no signs of either releasing Rasool or taking him to trial. But together we can change this.
Please join me, VICE Media and the Committee to Protect Journalists in asking Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Rasool’s immediate release.
Last week, Rasool celebrated his 25th birthday behind bars. No innocent man should have to do this, especially not Rasool – he is one of the kindest and most talented people I know. While we were in prison, Rasool encouraged us to relax: "We've done nothing wrong. We'll be out of here soon. We're just journalists trying to make a living."
His arrest is an attack on press freedom. Without journalists like him, the work that VICE and other news outlets do could not happen. Strong international pressure on the Turkish government is key to helping Rasool get released. #FreeRasool is call for justice that we are all accountable for answering.
Sign our petition asking the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to #FreeRasool immediately.
Thank you,
Jake Hanrahan
London, United Kingdom
Sign Jake’s petition
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