Image: GZT
Russia has detained two journalists, Nazgul Kenzhetay and Emin Karaçak, from a Turkish news website, GZT. The two were arrested on Dec. 16th on alleged charges of “espionage” after they traveled to the Sakha Republic to record a vlog on Turkic communities and cultures, GZT reports.
According to the website, the officials forcibly seized and deleted all the digital data belonging to Kenzhetay and Karaçak. They were not appointed attorneys, despite their repeated requests. There is no heating at the repatriation center, nor any hot water. The two journalists are under constant surveillance, and the officers constantly check their phones.
Image: GZT Twitter
GZT journalist Karaçak said they had not encountered any issues in mainland Russia. However, the Russian security forces increased pressure on them once they entered the Turkic republics inside the federation.
Turkish netizens have been calling for their release under the hashtag #FreeNazgulEmin.
