The IPI global network today condemned threats against Turkish journalist Faik Akgün and the newspaper Günışığı, based in the central Anatolian city of Elazığ, after the newspaper published a report on the suicide of a university student. IPI calls on Turkish authorities to protect Akgün and the newspaper against any threats targeting journalist safety and the newspaper’s press freedom.

On January 13, Akgün published a news report entitled “He couldn’t stand the religious sect’s pressure, committed suicide” on the suicide of a local university student, Enes Kara, who committed suicide, apparently due to the pressure he faced at his dorm, which is run by a religious sect. Kara had previously sent a video to friends before his death in which he spoke about the pressures he had been facing both from his family and members of the religious sect, whose dorm he was being forced to stay in by his family. The news report was <a href=”https://www.gunisigigazetesi.net/elazig-guncel/cemaat-baskisina-dayanamadi-intihar-etti-h88459.html”>removed</a> from the outlet’s website after both Akgün and the newspaper received threats.