British Vice News journalists charged with ‘terror offences’

Reporter Jake Hanrahan (pictured above from Twitter) and cameraman Philip Pendlebury were charged on Monday after being questioned about their alleged links to Islamic State and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and and are due to stand trial in Turkey.

They were arrested, along with a Turkish colleague, who has not been named, while filming clashes between police and youth members of the PKK on Thursday. The arrests took place in the south-east region of Diyarbakir.

‘Alarmingly false’

Kevin Sutcliffe, Vice head of news programming in Europe, said: “Today the Turkish government has levelled baseless and alarmingly false charges of ‘working on behalf of a terrorist organisation’ against three Vice News reporters, in an attempt to intimidate and censor their coverage.

“Prior to being unjustly detained, these journalists were reporting and documenting the situation in the south-eastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir.

“Vice News condemns in the strongest possible terms the Turkish government’s attempts to silence our reporters, who have been providing vital coverage from the region.

“We continue to work with all relevant authorities to expedite the safe release of our three colleagues and friends.”

‘Outrageous and bizarre’

Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of all three journalists.

Andrew Gardner, Amnesty’s Turkey researcher, said: “This is yet another example of the Turkish authorities suppressing the reporting of stories that are embarrassing to them. They should release the journalists immediately.

“It is completely proper that journalists should cover this important story. The decision to detain the journalists was wrong, while the allegation of assisting Islamic State is unsubstantiated, outrageous and bizarre.”

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We are providing consular assistance and are in touch with the relevant authorities following the arrest of two British nationals in Diyarbakir.”

A senior Turkish official told Al Jazeera. “It is up to the judiciary now, and if there are no illegal findings about them, it is likely that they will be released.”

In recent months, the Turkish government has launched a series of air strikes against the PKK. A ceasefire agreed in 2013 led to a lull in violence that has lasted more than 30 years.

The US, EU and Turkey consider the PKK a terrorist organisation.