5,000 people joined a march called by a Turkish free press advocacy group to protest against the arrests and harassment of journalists, Radikal newspaper reported.

More than 5,000 people joined a march called by a Turkish free press advocacy group to protest against the arrests and harassment of journalists, Radikal newspaper reported.

Some 1,000 reporters formed the core of the march down Istiklal Street, central Istanbul’s main pedestrian thoroughfare, Radikal said. The protesters called for the release of imprisoned journalists and for greater freedom of the press, Radikal said.

Four journalists were sent to prison on March 6 in an expanding probe into the alleged “Ergenekon” coup plot against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey is ranked 138th out of 178 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.