The German Journalists’ Union (DJV) has demanded an immediate investigation into the deaths of Kurdish journalists Nazım Daştan and Cîhan Bilgîn, who were reportedly killed by a Turkish drone strike in North and East Syria (Rojava). The two reporters, long associated with Kurdish media outlets, were covering crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed by Turkish-backed mercenaries in northeast Syria when they were targeted.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that Daştan and Bilgîn were deliberately assassinated, something that DJV Chairman Mika Beuster describes as “outrageous”. Beuster says, “If the Turkish forces are hunting journalists, the perpetrators must face justice.” He further urged Germany’s Foreign Office to demand accountability from Turkey and said that such actions, if confirmed, should have diplomatic repercussions for German-Turkish relations.
The killings highlight the continued risks faced by journalists reporting from conflict zones, particularly in regions where crimes against humanity persist unchecked. The DJV’s call underlines the need for international solidarity and action to protect press freedoms and demand justice for journalists who lose their lives in pursuit of truth.
