Outspoken Turkish Journalist Mehmet Baransu Released After Detention

Taraf daily journalist Mehmet Baransu, who is known for his strong criticisms of the government, was briefly detained on Saturday.

Counterterrorism units from the İstanbul Police Department detained the journalist at his home. He was taken to the Çağlayan Courthouse after a medical check-up. It was not clear why the journalist was held.

Baransu announced his detention via Twitter during early hours in the morning. “Five policemen came to my house. I am being detained,” he tweeted.
He announced his release on Twitter as well later in the day. He said he was detained over two news reports he wrote and on charges of espionage and contravening the law on the National Intelligence Organization (MİT).

One of the reports, he said, was the one which claimed not only business people close to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), but also those close to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) had been profiled by Turkey's intelligence agency to prevent them from winning public tenders. He said he cannot understand his detention over this report as MİT had admitted to having profiled deputies from opposition parties and businesspeople close to opposition parties.

Baransu said the second report concerns allegations that three ministers collaborated to save a pro-government businessman who faces charges of being involved in a genetically modified rice scandal, discovered during an investigation being conducted by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
“Get ready for my new report on GM food then,” he said.

The journalist was also briefly detained in August in what was seen as a part of the government's growing crackdown on dissent.

Baransu was detained and an arrest warrant was issued based on an interview he gave to a local newspaper in Adana about Hakan Fidan, the head of the National Intelligence Agency (MİT), and his critical tweets about former of EU Minister Egemen Bağış, who was dismissed from the government as a result of the corruption probe of Dec. 17. Known for his stories for the Taraf daily about military coup plans, Baransu was released after being questioned by a prosecutor. He stated via Twitter that he was treated badly by police officers. (Cihan/Today’s Zaman)

SHOT LIST
Saturday, November 22, 2014 SOURCE CİHAN
-Arriving of police vehicle
-Journalist Baransu is getting of the car
-Var of journalist Baransu is being brought to hospital under the in the custody of policemen
-Var of Journalist Baransu greet the press member s
-Var of Baransu is being gotten on the police vehicle
-Var of leaving of police vehicle
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