Turkey: CFWIJ Condemns Violence Against Journalists Derya Ren And Eylem Aktaş
Location:Turkey, Diyarbakır
Date: November 23, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Eylem Aktaş and Jinnews reporter Derya Ren were barred and beaten by the security forces. Police also attempted to confiscate journalists' equipment. The journalists were following the event in Diyarbakır organized by MEBYA-DER as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the police brutality used to prevent against journalists. Journalists are obliged to report public events, and police brutality is a blatant attack on press freedom.
MA reporter Eylem Aktaş and Jinnews reporter Derya Ren followed the visit of the Association for Assistance and Solidarity with Families Becoming Disappeared in the Cradle of Mesopotamia (MEBYA-DER) to the cemetery in Diyarbakır as part of the events of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November. Journalists were subjected to malicious physical violence. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır Deputy, Remziye Tosun, intervened with the security forces to stop confiscating journalists’ equipment. Following the incident, journalists were removed from the area.
The law enforcement officers blocking the entrance of the road leading to the cemetery did not allow the participants of the event to enter the village. Journalist Derya Ren was barred and physically assaulted by the police. Derya’s neck was squeezed with the camera strap. Police also seized her camera and threatened the journalist. According to the MA, police said, "I know whom to send these images to" and beat the journalist. Meanwhile, MA reporter Eylem Akdağ faced similar obstruction. Security forces pushed the journalist with a gun, and also confiscated Eylem's camera. Journalists continued filming the events with their mobile phones after losing their equipment, however, they were threatened that they would be detained. The threat followed an intervention by the HDP Deputy Remziye Tosun. Eventually, both journalists took back their cameras.
The CFWIJ follows police brutality and interventions against journalists with the utmost concern. In the cases we followed closely in Turkey, we documented the police violence that journalists are exposed to the most. In November alone, the rights of six journalists to report were violated by the security forces. These violations cast a shadow over the press freedom criteria. We demand the Turkish authorities implement the necessary measures to enable journalists to continue their job freely and in a safe environment.
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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