One day after Turkish journalist Nedim Şener was freed from prison pending trial, IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie travelled to Turkey to personally congratulate Şener, an IPI World Press Freedom Hero, and to express her support to the IPI Turkish National Committee and the Platform for Journalists, both of which had strongly campaigned for Şener’s release.

“I am excited about Nedim’s release from prison and proud of the fight IPI members in Turkey and around the world have carried out in his support,” Bethel McKenzie said, arriving in Istanbul. “We knew that we had to keep up the pressure, to show to the Turkish authorities that Nedim enjoys the respect of those who hold press freedom and justice dear, and to show Nedim and the country’s other journalists that they are not alone in their fight for justice.”

After visiting Nedim Şener and his wife, Necide, at their Istanbul home, IPI Turkey held a press conference at 3 p.m. local time in front of the Şener home, at the bast of the steps where he was arrested more than a year ago. Over a dozen journalists attended the press conference where IPI Turkish National Committee Secretary, Yurdanur Atadan, Nedim and Necide Şener joined the IPI executive director in exposing the ongoing harassment of journalists in Turkey and the challenges of practising journalism in a country where the free expression of ideas and opinions is criminalised.

Speaking to IPI after the press conference, Atadan said, “We are indeed very happy that Nedim Sener, Ahmet Şık, Sait Çakır and Coskun Musluk have been released from prison. But there are almost 100 journalists still in prison in Turkey. Our fight will continue until every last one of them has been released.”

Journalists Ahmet Şık, Sait Çakır and Coskun Musluk were also released late Monday evening from prison together with Şener. The four journalists are accused of involvement with a news website, Oda TV, that authorities allege acted as the media wing for the alleged “Ergenekon” conspiracy, in which ultra-nationalists and elements of the Turkish security services are said to have plotted to use terrorism to bring down the government of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

“While the journalists’ release comes as great news, we should not forget that they are still facing very serious terrorism charges and will have to stand trial,“ Bethel McKenzie said. “IPI will continue to closely monitor developments in the cases against Nedim Şener, Ahmet Şık and other Turkish journalists facing criminal charges as a consequence of their reporting. We are still very concerned about Turkey’s failure to respect press freedom.”