United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his concern over the arrest of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu, during his meeting with the head of RSF on Tuesday.

The U.N. Secretary General shared the concern expressed by RSF secretary general Christophe Deloire over increased threats, attacks and arrest of journalists around the world during their meeting, according to a readout issued on the U.N. website.

Accordingly, Ban Ki-moon expressed his hope that Önderoğlu would immediately be released.

Press right groups issue joint statement

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), PEN International, International Press Institute (IPI) and some other leading press rights groups also called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of RSF’s Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu and his two colleagues, in a joint statement on Wednesday.

“RSF demands the immediate and unconditional release of its representative and his two colleagues. The organisation calls for the withdrawal of all charges against him and other participants of this solidarity campaign” said RSF’s joint oral statement co-sponsored by PEN International, Article 19, International Federation of Journalists, European Federation of Journalists, and International Press Institute.

The joint statement released on Wednesday urged that RSF has been “stunned” by the arrest of its representative in Turkey, Erol Önderoğlu, placed in pre-trial detention by an Istanbul court on June 20, along with journalist Ahmet Nesin and human rights activist Sebnem Korur Fincancɪ.

The statement was delivered on behalf of a further 25 NGOs including Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ethical Journalism Network, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, Index on Censorship, and Global Editors Network.

The indictment prepared by terror and organized crimes prosecutor Eşref Durmuş demanded jail terms from two years up to 14 years and six months for Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) head Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu and journalist Ahmet Nesin.

The trio was accused of overtly inciting crime, praising crime and making terror organization propaganda.

The indictments were sent to courts of serious crimes on June 22. The campaigners will face trial in the upcoming days if the indictment is accepted.

The trio were arrested on June 20 after supporting a campaign in solidarity with Turkish daily Özgür Gündem, which was started on May 3, World Press Freedom Day.