Watchdog

Lawyers for a Turkish opposition newspaper have appealed a court ruling to detain two journalists on spying charges over a report that suggested Ankara had shipped weapons bound for rebels in Syria.

The lawyers for the Cumhuriyet newspaper said on November 30 the charges contradicted Turkey's constitution and laws.

A court in Istanbul on October 26 ordered the arrest of Cumhuriyet's editor-in-chief, Can Dundar, and the newspaper's Ankara correspondent, Erdem Gul.

The two face charges that include willingly helping a terrorist group and "divulging state secrets" after they released footage in May that allegedly showed the country's secret services sending weapons to rebels in Syria.

The images caused a political storm in Turkey with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowing revenge.

The Paris-based press rights group Reporters Without Borders has condemned proceedings against the journalists as "political persecution" and has urged the court to dismiss the charges.

Based on reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and Hurriyet

The funeral has taken place in Turkey of a prominent lawyer and human rights defender who was killed in a shooting along with two policemen.

Tahir Elci, 49, was shot in Diyarbakir city on November 28 while making a press statement.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said authorities are investigating whether the attack directly targeted Elci or whether he died in the crossfire during shooting between the assailants and police.

Addressing thousands of mourners on November 29, pro-Kurdish party leader Selahattin Demirtas said Elci was the victim of a "political murder." He said the lawyer dedicated his life to peace, freedoms, and brotherhood.

Elci, who was Kurdish, advocated peace between Kurdish rebels and Turkey's security forces. He was facing a criminal charge for defending the rebels, whom Turkey considers terrorists, during a news program.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters