Turkey: Journalist Sarya Toprak's Was Obstructed From Reporting The Affectees Of Wildfire, By The Minister Of Environment. CFWIJ Condemns This Impediment By The Authorities.
Location: Turkey, Mugla
Date: August 11, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
BirGün Newspaper reporter Sarya Toprak was impeded by the ministry of Environment and Urbanization. The reporter was filming areas and citizens affected by the recent wildfire but was prevented from doing so by the minister. The journalist was then forcibly removed from the area by the police force. This directly impedes her ability to report.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this obstruction of a journalist trying to report an important story that affects citizens after a traumatic wildfire. We urge the Minister of Environment and Urbanization to reinstate press freedom values to journalists reporting from their jurisdiction. In a democracy, the right of journalists to report cannot be denied.
The Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum, who met with the victims of the wildfire in Marmaris district of Muğla, prevented BirGün Newspaper reporter Sarya Toprak from filming the meeting. The journalist was verbally harassed by the police for turning off her camera. She was also prevented by Minister Kurum saying that, "Even if you are a journalist, you cannot film here, turn your camera off". After the minister's warning, the police forcibly removed the journalist from the area.
According to BirGün Newspaper, a citizen who attended the meeting criticized the minister for not controlling the wildfires with the words, "If we were to be a strong country, we had to be ready. The fires had to be extinguished". These words were reflected in the camera and the journalist was blocked after the incident.
Sharing the video on her Twitter account, "This is one of the videos I was impeded while filming. One of the wildfire victims is trying to explain her problem to the minister and the minister, on the other hand, is trying to ignore and silence the woman by saying okay, thank you. That's how close the government is to its people. Afterwards, they became very aggressive and prevented us from filming the meeting,” Sarya said.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum. Journalism is a public duty and journalists are responsible for informing the public, especially on matters of disasters. We demand the Turkish authorities refrain from curbing both the journalists' right to report and the public's right to receive information. These practices aimed at silencing journalists directly violate press freedom and are 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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.