Turkey: Excessive Police Force Used Against Press At LGBTQ+ Pride, Two Women Journalists Taken To Hospital
Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: July 7, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Journalists were beaten and obstructed by police while following the LGBTQ+ Pride in Ankara. Reporter Aslı Alpar was injured while following the events. Journalist Emel Vural was hit with tear gas on her face until she passed out and was taken to hospital.
Police attacked and detained more than 50 people at the LGBTQ+ Pride in Ankara. Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Emel Vural, who followed the pride, was hit with tear gas on her face and was taken to the hospital when she passed out. Kaos GL reporter Aslı Alpar was also injured in the leg as a result of the police attack. The journalist's leg was stitched. Other journalists, on the other hand, were obstructed and beaten from filming the events which took place in the capital.
According to the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), journalist Emel Vural, who was treated at the hospital, had pain in her head and body. The journalist received a report of assault after her treatment.
Police violence in Turkey over the last month has reached an extremely dangerous level against journalists. Only this week, two female journalists were injured while reporting in the field. In total, at least seven female journalists were physically assaulted by the police.
Similar incidents took place in İstanbul at the LGBTQ+ Pride and a female journalist broke her rib after the police attack. At least ten women journalists were subjected to brutal police violence during the pride.
Since the beginning of 2022, CFWIJ documented at least 36 female journalists who were physically assaulted while covering events in the field and five of them were detained.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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