European diplomats have been measured in their criticism of media freedom in Turkey and President Tayyip Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian rule recognizing the West needs Ankara’s help on the migrant crisis and as an ally in the US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS).

European and Turkish officials hope EU leaders and Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will sign a deal to ease the migrant crisis on Sunday.

Writing from Silivri prison near Istanbul Can Dundar editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper which is left-wing secular and often critical of the government and senior editor Erdem Gul said in a letter to EU leaders they hope Sunday’s meeting results in a lasting solution adding:

“We would also like to hope that your desire to end the crisis will not stand in the way of your sensitivity towards human rights freedom of press and expression as fundamental values of the Western world.”

In May Cumhuriyet published photos of arms that it said were transferred to Syria in trucks operated by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

The photos showed steel containers filled with mortar shells and ammunition underneath boxes of medicine.

The daily also published a video showing the containers on trucks being opened and searched by gendarmes.

It said the trucks in question were intercepted by gendarmes on two occasions in January 2014 after prosecutors received tip-offs that they were illegally carrying arms to Syria.

There have been allegations that the arms were going to extremist groups fighting against the Syrian regime.

Ankara on the other hand insisted the trucks were carrying aid to Syrian Turkmen and branded their interception an act of 'treason' and 'espionage.'

The two editors went to the Caglayan Courthouse in Istanbul on Thursday to testify. Prosecutor Irfan Fidan requested that the editors be arrested on Thursday after which they were referred to the 7th Penal Court of Peace.

The court decided to arrest Dundar and Gul on Thursday amid an outpour of support for the veteran journalists from their colleagues intellectuals lawyers and politicians.

Dundar and Gul were taken to Silivri Prison after the court’s decision. “Don’t worry these are medals of honor for us” Dundar was quoted by Cumhuriyet’s website as saying on Thursday night.

Reactions snowball after arrests

Reactions continued to pour in from across the country after the court decision to arrest Dundar and Gul.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Klcdaroglu said the court's decision marked a “black day” for democracy and freedom.

Klcdaroglu said it clearly shows how afraid the government is of the MIT truck story. Saying the decision is unlawful Klcdaroglu stated the arrest is a decision made upon the orders of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

CHP Istanbul deputy Mahmut Tanal also said the arrests mark a 'coup' staged against the Press.

Media Ethics Council president Halit Esendir said the arrests have clearly shown there is no longer media freedom in Turkey.

The Izmir Journalists’ Association said the court did not just arrest the two journalists but also journalism in Turkey as well.

The Turkish Journalists Federation stated the arrest of the two editors does not comply with democracy.

Press Council President Pnar Turenc said no one can place people’s right to information and freedom of expression behind bars emphasizing 'The power of pens cannot be restricted at all.'

The Journalists and Writers Foundation said critical journalists are being targeted by the government and Silivri Prison has been turned into a 'concentration camp' for journalists who are not pro-government.

Turkish Journalists Association President Nazmi Bilgin defined the arrest of the two editors as an 'eclipse of reason' saying Silivri Prison where many journalists have been detained in recent years will turn into a democracy museum one day.

Zaman Editor-in-Chief Abdulhamit Bilici expressed his concern over increasing pressure on the free media and the regression of democracy in the country.

The Human Rights Association the right of journalists to freedom of expression has been violated and it is no longer possible to talk about the existence of legal security for anyone in Turkey.