KURDISH journalist Mehmet Aslan vowed to “continue the pursuit of the truth” today as he was jailed by a Turkish court on trumped-up charges of terrorism.

The Mesopotamia Agency reporter was charged with membership of an unnamed terrorist organisation, usually meaning the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

He denies the charges, insisting that “journalism was on trial.” 

“I have been working as a journalist for two years. I work at Mesopotamia Agency. I have never been a member of any illegal structure, nor have I any affiliation,” Mr Aslan said.

“The accusations against me were all about my activities as a journalist. I have never been instructed by any organisation to do anything and there is no evidence of it. I deny all accusations.”

Mr Aslan was detained in a raid on his Istanbul home on January 5.

He was taken some 435 miles to the resort city of Antalya for unknown reasons.

The charges against him were kept secret, concealed by a confidentiality clause.

The Mesopotamia Agency is subjected to routine harassment and persecution by the Turkish state due to its dogged reporting and exposés on alleged crimes committed against the country’s Kurdish minority.

Two of its reporters are among the four that have been behind bars for more than 90 days after being jailed in relation to coverage of alleged human rights abuses by the Turkish military in the largely Kurdish Van province.

Their determination uncovered news that Turkish soldiers threw two Kurdish farmers Osman Siban, who later died from his inhuries, and Servet Turgut from a military helicopter in Van’s Catak district.

Turkey has retained its title as the world’s leading jailer of journalists, with around a third of the world’s total.

Accurate figures are hard to come by with the Turkish state insisting there are no media workers in prison, just terrorists.

The country’s TGS union is criticised for being conservative and understating the numbers, but Kurdish organisations estimate some 200 are in prison. 

The Istanbul office where Mr Aslan was based told the Morning Star they were under pressure because of their “insistence on reporting and telling the truth” but said they would continue to defend the people’s right to information.

“We call on the international press and professional organisations to speak out and support our just insistence,” they said.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “Reports that Mehmet Aslan, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, has been arrested following a raid on his home and his books and electronic devices confiscated show that Turkey has started the year by yet again harassing and detaining journalists.

“Aslan must be released at once and journalists in Turkey should be allowed to carry out their work without these constant attacks.”