Turkey: CFWIJ Condemns Security Forces Violation Of The Journalists Büşra Taşkıran And Seda Taşkın's Right To Report
Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: August 12, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Journalists Büşra Taşkıran and Seda Taşkın were barred with the police force driving them away from covering the racist events against refugees in Ankara. Journalists were covering the loot against many refugees and Syrians in the city. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the police violence against journalists. We call on the security forces to maintain order across the country, violating the journalists' right to report instead. Journalism is a public duty. These practices are unacceptable.
Doğrusu Haber's reporter Büşra Taşkıran and Artı Gerçek reporter Seda Taşkın were removed from the area by the police and prevented following the racist events which took place in Ankara's Altındağ district. Many refugees and Syrians live in the area.
Journalist Seda Taşkın took to her Twitter account about the police intervention. "While we were following the incidents in Altındağ, the police, along with my colleague Büşra Taşkıran, put us in a car and threw us out of the scene," the journalist said in her own words.
In #Turkey, a massive campaign against #Syrian refugee is underway. Two women journalists @sedaa_tskn and @taskiranbusra have told us, are barred by police from covering the events in #ÖnderMahallesi. We demand Authorities to stop preventing the #press from reporting the news. pic.twitter.com/1gcf5ccF05
— #WomenInJournalism (@CFWIJ) August 11, 2021
Reaching journalist Büşra Taşkıran after Taşkın's notification, the CFWIJ learned that journalists were taken out from the area by the police force with an excuse saying, "We cannot protect you". Speaking to CFWIJ, Büşra said the journalists were suspended both for security concerns and to prevent them from reporting.
Recently, the discussions in Turkey about those who seek asylum from Afghanistan has caused tension in the country to rise. Racist attacks in Ankara are considered a result of these disputes.
Over the fight that broke out in the capital, where many refugees and Syrians live in Altındağ district, one person was murdered after a street fight. As a result of the killing, the crowd gathered the same evening and started to loot the houses, cars and shops of the people living in the area.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism denounces the impediment of journalists Büşra Taşkıran and Seda Taşkın's right to report. We demand security officials to maintain order across the country rather than prevent journalists from doing their job. Journalists have to cover issues and developments of public interest and their profession is a public duty. The practice of preventing them is unacceptable.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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