The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum have welcomed the release of four Turkish journalists held for over a year on spurious charges of aiding a terrorist group, and called on Turkish authorities to do more to respect freedom of the press.

Nedim Şener, Ahmet Şık, Coşkun Musluk and Sait Çakır had been arrested and accused of involvement with Oda TV, a news website that authorities allege acted as the media wing for the so-called “Ergenekon” conspiracy.

While commending the decision of an Istanbul court to release the four on Monday, WAN-IFRA and WEF called on the Turkish authorities to do more to respect freedom of the press and urged the government to end its harassment of critical journalists.

“Attacks against the press risk creating a climate in which journalists practice self-censorship, eroding democratic principles and stifling public debate,” said a WAN-IFRA statement, echoing a press freedom resolution issued on 1 March by the Board of the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers.

“The influence that Turkey has in the Middle East and North Africa region following the Arab revolutions, coupled with its desire to strengthen ties with European neighbours, makes it all the more critical that the government reverses its alarming trend of targetting critical media and arresting journalists,” the statement said.

Authorities have arrested hundreds of people from across Turkish society in the “Ergenekon” conspiracy, in which ultra-nationalists and elements of the Turkish security services are said to have plotted to use terrorism to bring down the government.

Such charges are routinely used to imprison journalists, with international observers identifying many journalists arrested in direct connection to their professional work. There are currently more journalists in jail in Turkey than in any other country in the world.

WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, Spain, France and Sweden, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.