YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir sent a letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, calling on the Turkish authorities to ensure that the Constitutional Court decision in the cases of imprisoned journalists Mehmet Altan and Şahin Alpay is implemented and that the journalists are released without any further delay, the OSCE Office told Armenpress.  

According to the decision of the Turkish Constitutional Court, which was published on 11 January 2018, the ongoing detention of Altan and Alpay is disproportionate and infringing upon their rights to liberty, freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

However, the lower courts later refused to follow the Constitutional Court’s ruling and the journalists remain in prison.

“This refusal to implement the Constitutional Court decision is of grave concern, as it is related to the freedom of individuals, in that case of two journalists. It seriously infringes upon their rights including freedom of expression and freedom to work as journalists, which should be protected by the rule of law. I call on the authorities to ensure that the Constitutional Court decision of 11 January 2018 in the cases of Altan and Alpay is implemented and that they are released without any further delay”, Désir said.