Istanbul, May 30, 2023\u2013Turkish authorities should investigate multiple incidents of journalists being attacked or obstructed from reporting during the country\u2019s recent election, and the media watchdog RT\u00dcK should treat all outlets equally regardless of political stance, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the second round of presidential elections<\/a> on Sunday, May 28, at least two journalists were physically attacked, others were obstructed from their work, and one was briefly detained, according to news<\/a> reports<\/a> and tweets<\/a> from the journalists<\/a> and their outlets<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Tuesday, RT\u00dcK announced that it was investigating seven critical outlets in relation to their broadcasts during the run-off, according to news<\/a> reports<\/a>. Turkey\u2019s sitting President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan won with 52% of the vote<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u200b\u200b\u201cTurkish authorities should investigate the harassment, obstruction, and detention of journalists covering the recent run-off election, and ensure that members of the press can cover such newsworthy events freely,\u201d said \u00d6zg\u00fcr \u00d6\u011fret, CPJ\u2019s Turkey representative. \u201cIt is also past time for the media regulator RT\u00dcK to treat every media outlet equally and ensure that news organizations are not investigated over their political leanings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Haliliye district of the eastern city of \u015eanl\u0131urfa on Sunday, two unidentified men attacked \u00d6mer Ak\u0131n, a reporter with the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya News Agency, while he covered a dispute between opposition politicians and lawyers and members of a pro-government group, according to news<\/a> reports<\/a> and Ak\u0131n, who communicated with CPJ via messaging app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The men repeatedly punched Ak\u0131n on the back, shoulders, and neck, and broke his microphone and camera. The journalist told CPJ he was not seriously injured. He filed a criminal complaint to the gendarmerie later that day and was told that a prosecutor tasked with investigating crimes regarding the election would hear his testimony. Ak\u0131n told CPJ that he had not received any update on his case as of Tuesday, May 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Separately, officials from the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, harassed or obstructed at least three journalists on Sunday, May 28, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also on Sunday, police briefly detained Vedat Aker, a journalist and publisher of the news website Batman Burada, as he reported on government supporters celebrating in the streets of the southeastern city of Batman, according to reports<\/a> and a tweet<\/a> from his outlet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CPJ messaged Fato\u015f Erdo\u011fan, De\u011fer, and Aker for more details on their cases but did not immediately receive any replies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Tuesday, RT\u00dcK tweeted<\/a> a statement saying that authorities were investigating broadcasts during the Sunday runoff by seven critical outlets\u2013FOX\u00a0TV Turkey, HALK TV, TELE 1, KRT, TV 5, FLASH HABER, and S\u00f6zc\u00fc TV\u2013following citizen complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RT\u00dcK\u2019s board is based on political party seats in parliament and is currently controlled<\/a> by the AKP and its allies. In the past, RT\u00dcK has favored pro-government outlets<\/a> and has focused penalties on critical outlets<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n CPJ emailed the chief prosecutor’s offices of Istanbul, Mardin, Batman, and \u015eanl\u0131urfa; the AKP; and RT\u00dcK but received no replies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turkey is one of the world\u2019s leading jailers of journalists, with 40 behind bars<\/a> as of CPJ\u2019s December 1, 2022, prison census.<\/p>\n\n\n
\r\nThis content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists<\/a> and was authored by Committee to Protect Journalists.
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