Turkey: Merve Dişli Threatened With Physical Violence - Government Must Protect Journalists
Location: Turkey, Izmit
Date: April 4, 2023Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Unofficial political youth group threatens journalist Merve Dişli for reporting on a split between AKP youth. We strongly condemn the threats against Dişli, who was simply doing her job. CFWIJ calls on government to investigate and protect Dişli.
On March 29, 2023, Merve Dişli, a reporter with local newsroom Kocaeli Barış Gazetesi, covered the launch of a non-affiliated AKP youth center. The following day, its disgruntled President Barış Çiftçi threatened Dişli over phone.
"You will pay the price for your news, and I’ll bust you up," Çiftçi warned.
As reported by Dişli, Çiftçi left the official pro-government AKP youth party to launch the AK Youth Center. The official youth branch of AKP says they have no relationship with the AK Center.
In addition to the threats, Çiftçi shared Dişli's photos on social media and accused her of being affiliated with FETÖ — a term used by Turkey’s government to refer to the Islamist fraternal movement led by Fethullah Gülen, also known as a terrorist group. He also claimed she is in the pockets of opposition politicians.
“I am concerned about my safety.”
Journalist Merve Dişli is concerned about her safety. “If the government does not take any action to protect me, I do not know what will happen,” she tells CFWIJ.
Dişli says that facing threats are common among women journalists in Turkey.
"This person, who attacked me, is pressuring me to remove my news.,” she says. “He believes that I will be intimidated because I am a woman.”
She calls for her colleagues to show solidarity, especially leading up to the elections.
Threats against local journalists concerning
CFWIJ has recently begun to document more threats and violations against local journalists. Local journalists in Turkey are increasingly facing threats, intimidation, and physical attacks. They are often risking their lives to bring important information to the public.
On March 31, relatives of drug operation suspects attacked journalist Melek Fırat — who works for the Aydın Manşet newspaper — and three other journalists while filming outside the courthouse. The assailants damaged their cameras, a phone, and other equipment.
CFWIJ is concerned about Dişli's safety and strongly condemns the threats against her. Authorities must ensure her safety immediately. No journalist should ever be threatened for reporting unbiased news. Journalism is not a crime.
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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.