The Freedom for Journalists Platform, an Turkish umbrella group that includes the International Press Institute’s (IPI) Turkish National Committee, released a statement today demanding an end to alleged police brutality against journalists covering the ongoing protests in Istanbul.
The statement details recent reported incidents involving both local and foreign journalists, and strongly criticised Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for what the group called “provocative and hateful speeches targeting both social segments and the journalists.”
IPI and its affiliate SEEMO (South East Europe Media Organisation) last week released a statement condemning the Turkish government’s “violent response to the ongoing protests throughout the country.”
Turkish and Canadian media reported today that two Canadian journalists covering the protests for Canada’s public broadcaster, CBC, were released late Wednesday after being detained for “impeding road works” while covering the protests.
Read full statement below:
——————————————————————————————————-
STOP TARGETING THE PRESS
CEASE THE POLICE BRUTALITY
During the police attack yesterday in Taksim and around, Star Haber correspondent Osman Terkan’s finger was broken due to a hit by the gas canister and again Star Haber correspondent Murat Uslu was wounded from his abdomen by a rubber bullet fired by a cop targeted from 10 meters. We have been informed that at the end of the police intervention which took place during the whole night, journalist Ümit Akbağ was heavily wounded by a gas canister hit his face and he was hospitalized, journalist Ahmet Şık was shot from his head by gas canister for the second time and two foreign journalists were wounded from their chests. During the incidents took place in last 15 days, at least 15 of our colleagues are wounded.
We protests the police attack against journalists especially targeted firings.
We call out the Mr. Prime Minister who caused the incidents to escalate rather than receiving the required messages from the demonstrations which took place in peace as long as the police do not attack. We condemn the Prime Minister for his provocative and hateful speeches targeting both social segments and the journalists.
We invite all citizens to act prudently, to keep up with the legitimate and legal grounds, not to partake in any act of violence.
We request both the demonstrators and the security forces to avoid physical interventions and speeches targeting the journalists under any circumstances.
We demand the media owners to take all necessary measures and to provide all required equipment to ensure the security of life of our colleagues.
We call out the media houses to cease single-sided and inducing broadcasting policies, to stop being instrument to the disinformation efforts of other groups particularly the political power, to avoid mediating the provocative and hateful speeches.
In accordance with the internationally agreed code of conducts of journalism, we stress that the main duty of a journalist is “to respect the right of the public to learn about the facts” and we remind the following main principle included in the Declaration of Rights and Obligations of Journalists of Turkey;
“The journalist shall defend the respect towards primarily the peace, democracy and human rights, universal values of the humanity, multi-vocality and differences. Shall avoid publications inciting the hate and hostility among people, communities and nations.”
FREEDOM FOR JOURNALISTS PLATFORM
TERM CHAIRMAN
and
JOURNALISTS’ UNION OF TURKEY
PRESIDENT
Ercan İPEKÇİ
