Turkiye: Journalists Assaulted, Injured, and Detained During Protests Against Decision to Block Mayor-Elect in Van
Police attack press workers covering protests nationwide
Location: TurkiyeDate: April 5, 2024
Women Press Freedom firmly condemns the recent assaults, intimidation, and detentions of journalists in Turkiye, as they covered the protests against the electoral authorities' decision to block a pro-Kurdish mayor-elect in Van despite his election victory. The police detaining reporters Sema Korkmaz, Müzeyyen Yüce, Medine Mamedoğlu, Zilan Azad, Yeşim Dokur and Dilan Şimşek; beating Korkmaz and Mamedoğlu before being taking them into custody; and injuring JINN News reporter Rabia Önver with rubber bullets are unacceptable and constitute a grave violation of human rights and press freedom. Police violence against media workers is distressingly common in Turkiye; this must not be allowed to continue. Women Press Freedom demands immediate action to address reports of police brutality against members of the press; officers responsible must be investigated and prosecuted. We demand the immediate release of all the detained journalists.
On April 3, 2024, protests erupted across several Turkish cities in response to the electoral authorities' initial decision to block a pro-Kurdish mayor-elect from the DEM party in Van, despite his victory in local elections. The decision, later overturned, fueled demonstrations against perceived election interference.
Journalists covering these protests faced a disturbing surge of assaults, intimidation, and detentions by law enforcement officers.
In Van, police beat and detained Medine Mamedoğlu. Before facing police aggression, the journalist was attacked and harassed online after reporting on human rights abuses during protests. She was later released.
Jinnews reporter Rabia Önver was injured by a rubber bullet fired by police while covering the protests in Yüksekova.
While reporting protests in Esenyurt, Istanbul, Yeni Yaşam journalist Sema Korkmaz and her colleague Ferhat Sezgin were violently detained by police. Artı Gerçek’s Müzeyyen Yüce and PİRHA reporter Dilan Şimşek were also detained.
On April 4, 2024, a group of women and members of the LGBTQI community were demonstrating in front of the Süreyya Opera in Kadıköy, Istanbul when police intervened and detained at least 35 people, including Siyasi Haber journalists Zilan Azad and Yeşim Dokur. They were taken into custody for allegedly breaching the law on meetings and were released after giving statements to police.
Journalist Serkan Kaya received death threats for filming people allegedly associated with the ruling party AKP who used guns against protesters in Hakkari. Reporter Ruşen Takva was also targeted with pressurized water during a live broadcast.
Authorities extended the detention of journalists Müzeyyen Yüce, Dilan Şimşek, Sema Korkmaz, and Ferhat Sezgin by 24 hours on April 4, 2024.
Turkish authorities detained 340 people across 14 provinces during the unrest. Reports suggest injuries and alleged mistreatment among detainees.
These incidents occurred against the backdrop of recent local elections that saw significant losses for the ruling party in cities nationwide. Throughout the electoral process and after, journalists faced attacks, threats, and restrictions, as documented by Women Press Freedom. In one alarming incident, journalists in Diyarbakır were shot at during a clash over an election dispute, though thankfully no injuries were reported. Journalist Ece Üner received a death threat in response to her comments on a political decision. The Supreme Electoral Board also prohibited journalists from video recording the vote-counting process, leading to instances of journalists being forcibly removed by police.
While the electoral authorities eventually overturned their decision regarding the mayor-elect, the unjust treatment of journalists during the protests cannot be ignored. The Turkish government must be held accountable for the brutal actions of law enforcement officers and ensure thorough investigations and prosecutions of those responsible. Women Press Freedom calls for a swift and transparent probe into reports of violence against journalists. We call for the immediate release of all journalists still being held behind bars.
The Turkish government must respect journalists' rights to report freely without fear of violence or intimidation.
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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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