Turkey: CFWIJ Condemns The Heinous Attack On Journalists, Demands Perpetrators Be Found
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: August 3, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Six journalists, three of whom were women, were physically assaulted by a group of men. The journalists were following those gathered to protest the assassination of seven people in Konya. The police did not intervene in the group that attacked the journalists. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns this heinous attack on journalists. We demand the security forces that implement the necessary criminal sanctions, protecting the perpetrators instead. Journalists should do their job in safe environments. The attack against journalists is unacceptable.
A group opposed to the protest physically assaulted the journalists who were following the crowd in Istanbul to protest the armed attack, in which seven members of the same family were killed in Konya. Sendika.Org reporters Derya Saadet, Ceylan Bulut, and Rojin Altay from the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) were battered in the attack. The attackers tried to confiscate the journalists' mobile phones and bags. Meanwhile, the police did not intervene in the attack.
Journalists who followed the march of a group to Şişhane after the protest held in Taksim were verbally abused by a group in Kasımpaşa. They were beaten and also, their mobile phones and bags were ordered to be confiscated.
Speaking about the events to CFWIJ, Sendika.Org reporter said that the group kicked her to the ground and attempted to confiscate her bag and mobile phone. She reported that her phone was broken during the brawl. Likewise, journalist Ceylan Bulut, who was filming the events, was also blocked and her phone was broken.
Derya Saadet also told CFWIJ that the security forces targeted journalists more after the directive of the General Directorate of Security. Emphasizing that they experienced the police violence in the Pride Parade and the commemoration of the Suruç Massacre, Derya said, "The rhetoric of the government is in this direction and the fascists attacked us, journalists, in Kasımpaşa. We are all fine after this but people must understand that journalism is a public duty. We will continue to do our job despite these attacks for the public's right to receive information."
Other journalists, Enes Sezgin and Taylan Öztaş, who were also physically assaulted, were detained by the police at the hospital where they went to take a report of an assault.
Journalist Ceylan Bulut shared a video about the events on her Twitter account. She said, “I will never forget what we experienced today for the rest of my life. I cannot forget the moment when a group of men threw Derya Saadet to the ground and kicked her. It is enough! #Journalism is not a crime!”
Arayan, soran herkese teşekkür ederim. Şu an iyiyiz. Ancak bugün yaşadıklarımızı hayatım boyunca unutamayacağım. @derya_saadet'i bir grup erkeğin yere atıp tekmeledikleri an gözümün önünden gitmiyor. Artık yeter! #GazetecilikSuçDeğildir! https://t.co/sgD7xd9pKD
— Ceylan Bulut (@ceylannbulut) July 31, 2021
Journalist Hayri Tunç, on the other hand, posted the scene on his Twitter account the moment when reporter Derya Saadet was attacked. “A shot from the moment when Sendika.Org reporter Derya Saadet was attacked by a group of fascists. Derya was saved from being lynched after the attack,” he quoted.
SendikaOrg muhabiri Derya Saadet'in bir grup faşistin saldırısına uğradığı anlardan bir kare. Derya, saldırı sonrası linç edilmekten kurtarıldı pic.twitter.com/LjnyNPAq4D
— hayritunc (@hayriituncc) July 31, 2021
Journalist Derya shared the moments of the attack on her social media account after the events. She said, "They will not be able to silence journalism."
Basın emekçileri olarak Konya'daki faşist saldırıya karşı Taksim'deki basın açıklaması sonrasında Kasımpaşa'da saldırıya uğradık. Telefonlarımıza el koymaya çalışanlar hiç de yabancı olmayan bir cüretle üzerimize yürüyüp küfürlerle tehdit ettiler. pic.twitter.com/0VBE2qEgm2
— Derya Saadet (@derya_saadet) July 31, 2021
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely follows the attacks against journalists in Turkey with great concern. Journalists' lives are now being threatened in the country. Turkish authorities must immediately provide environments that will ensure the safety of journalists. As the coalition, we condemn this vicious attack and demand the perpetrators of the attackers be found and the necessary criminal action be taken.
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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