Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: April 21, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

Three female journalists covering the press release of the May-Day Platform in Istanbul were physically assaulted and verbally harassed by the police. They were also deliberately prevented from filming the gathering. The police attacked the crowd and detained at least 30 people who participated and battered the journalists. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is devastated by the brutal violence against journalists in Turkey. We demand the Turkish authorities end their policies to intimidate journalists.

Police intervened in the gathering at Istanbul, Bakırköy Freedom Square to make a statement for May 1 Labor Day. BirGün’s Meral Danyıldız, Kızıl Bayrak reporter Kardelen Yoğungan and journalist Zeynep Kuray were also prevented by the police and verbally harassed. Law enforcement, who dispersed the crowd, battered women journalists.

Speaking to the CFWIJ, BirGün Newspaper reporter Meral Danyıldız said, she was grabbed by the police where the incident took place and was thrown out of the area. Stating her female colleagues, she said they were also physically assaulted and were prevented from the scene. Meral added, while she was filming the developments, she was also verbally abused by the police. Even though she showed her press credential did not help her to be attacked. Police hit her camera and threatened her saying "You haven't seen a real push, it won't be like that".

DANYILDIZ: WE ARE ALL SUBJECTED BY THE INCREASING VIOLENCE SINCE THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION BEGAN TO BE DISCUSSED

Journalist Meral Danyıldız also underlined the police violence against her women colleagues and the repression existing in the country. She said, “Where it is needed to prevent those who feed, incite and perpetuate violence, again women journalists were under pressure.” “Since the days when the Istanbul Convention was discussed, the increasing cases of violence targeting us in the field. While trying to do our job, we hear "What is press", "Go away", "Take those out here". While all these are happening, we undergo physical attacks even though we do nothing by using force. We are pushed and subjected to verbal or physical violence,” she included. "Beyond all this, the police who use these words saying ‘you haven't seen a real push’ can bravely threaten you just because you did your job. Because now they know their actions have no legal basis," Meral said.

YOĞUNGAN: BEHIND THIS AGGRESSION TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMING PUBLIC IS THE FEAR OF BEING HEARD OF THE ARBITRARY PROHIBITIONS, TORTURE AND VIOLENCE

Kızıl Bayrak reporter Kardelen Yoğungan, another reporter who was covering the press statement in İstanbul today, conveyed her experiences to the CFWIJ. Yoğungan said that the target of the police attacks was not only the crowd participating in the press release but also the journalists. Emphasizing she was threatened by the police while being removed from the area, Kardelen added that she was also subjected to insults and physical assault like her other colleagues. She said, “While the police attack us, they also attack the journalism. Behind this aggression towards the freedom to inform the public is the fear of being heard of arbitrary prohibitions, torture and police violence."

While covering the Sinbo factory workers on April 19, the journalist also was detained along with Özgür Gelecek’s Taylan Öztaş and Mücadele Birliği reporter Serpil Ünal. “They are deeply concerned to give a message to the whole society in attacks against press workers," Kardelen added. She continued with the importance of solidarity against the oppressions and said, "To protect our profession, our rights, our future is to protect all segments and colleagues who are subjected to police violence."

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned about the increasing pressure on our colleagues in Turkey. Journalists' primary duty is to inform the public, to reveal their knowledge to the public and cannot be prevented. Since the beginning of this week, we have already documented at least five women journalists in Turkey, who were subjected to police, were threatened and detained. The cases of threats and harassment we documented in a country, where freedom of expression and press freedom is alleged, are extremely alarming. We urge the Turkish state to end repressing the journalists and to implement policies that comply with the press freedom criteria. Journalists should be able to do their job freely. Journalism is not a crime.

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.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.