Medya News
Subscribe
  • Home
  • All News
  • Opinion
  • Kurdistan
  • Women
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
  • More
    • Audio Articles
    • Economy
    • Culture & Art
    • Ecology
    • Newsletter
    • Daily Review
Youtube
PODCAST
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • All News
  • Opinion
  • Kurdistan
  • Women
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
  • More
    • Audio Articles
    • Economy
    • Culture & Art
    • Ecology
    • Newsletter
    • Daily Review
Youtube
PODCAST
No Result
View All Result
Medya News

Journalists in Van, Turkey: 2020 was a year of arrests and detentions

Journalists in Turkey have been facing increased pressures, but especially in the 'eastern' regions, pressures have taken on extra dimensions. The overview of the arrests and detentions facing journalists in Van during the past year highlights the situation.

9:20 am 04/05/2021
A A
Share this
FacebookTwitterRedditEmailLinkedInWhatsApp

The World Press Freedom 2020 Index, which evaluates the state of journalism in 180 countries every year, has indicated that Turkey was ranked 154th out of 180 countries. According to the Index, Turkey continues to be one of the leading countries where journalists face the most pressures in their profession.

The World Press Freedom report states that more than 200 journalists and media workers have been imprisoned in Turkey during the past five years.

The increased pressure on journalists in Turkey finds its most extensive expression on journalists who report from the Kurdish majority provinces of the country, mainly from the east and south east. The increase in attacks on journalists during the last year in the eastern province of Van (Wan) illustrates the nature of this ‘special orientation’ in targeting journalists reporting from the Kurdish regions.

Five journalists were arrested and twelve journalists were detained in Van last year, MA reports.

During the police raids in Van on 6 October last year, Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporters Adnan Bilen and Cemil Uğur, Jin News reporter Şehriban Abi, journalist Nazan Sala, Yeni Yaşam newspaper worker Fehim Çetiner and a former worker of the Yeni Yaşam newspaper, Şükran Erdem, were detained. After four days of detention, the four journalists were sent to prison.

These raids came after reports were published in MA, Jin News and Yeni Yaşam regarding the torture on two Kurdish villagers from Van, who were thrown from a military helicopter by soldiers. The indictment prepared against the journalists accused them of ”reporting on events against the state” and demanded prison sentences for each of them on the grounds of “terrorism”.

As part of the same investigation, MA reporter Zeynep Durgut was also detained. Surprisingly, the journalists in Van were not only accused of the news that they published, but also of the news they “did not publish”, as the prosecutor showed ‘that’ as evidence against the journalists (i.e., it was noted that they had never reported on events relating to “sports and tabloid journalism”).

Another journalist arrested in Van in the last year was MA reporter Dindar Karataş. Karataş’ phone conversations with news editors and news sources, and the news of torture of some Kurdish villagers in Ağrı (Agiri) province, were considered “as an evidence of crime”.

In the indictment prepared against journalist Oktay Candemir, under the allegation of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation”, the slogans he recorded from an event he covered 16 years ago were considered as ‘evidence of crime’. Candemir also faced four different investigations, based on his posts on social media.

Ruşen Takva, a freelance journalist in Van also faced charges solely because he covered a Democratic Regions Party (DBP) demonstration and press statement titled ‘The freedom and the national unity of the Kurdish people’. A prosecutor in Van demanded Takva’s imprisonment for nine to eighteen years: the trial Takva still continues.

Journalists in Van continue to face various types of oppression. A recent example was on 5 March, when journalists were prevented by the police from conducting interviews with politicians who organised a press statement in Van.

Share this
FacebookTwitterRedditEmailLinkedInWhatsApp
Tags: Trending

Related Posts

Senators urge US President to hold off fighter jets sale to Turkey until NATO’s Nordic enlargement

Senators urge US President to hold off fighter jets sale to Turkey until NATO’s Nordic enlargement

February 3, 2023
Hundred more Yazidi families return to ancestral home in Iraq, thousands remain in exile

Hundred more Yazidi families return to ancestral home in Iraq, thousands remain in exile

February 3, 2023
Ankara slams Western countries for consulate closures, ‘supporting terrorism’

Ankara slams Western countries for consulate closures, ‘supporting terrorism’

February 3, 2023
International figures call for unstinting global support for Iranian protestors

International figures call for unstinting global support for Iranian protestors

February 3, 2023
Three women, three continents, one cause

Three women, three continents, one cause

February 3, 2023
Sweden to tighten anti-terror laws

Sweden to tighten anti-terror laws

February 3, 2023

Videos

Medya News Daily Review: 2 February 2023
DAILYSHOW

Medya News Daily Review: 2 February 2023

February 2, 2023

All News

Senators urge US President to hold off fighter jets sale to Turkey until NATO’s Nordic enlargement

Hundred more Yazidi families return to ancestral home in Iraq, thousands remain in exile

Ankara slams Western countries for consulate closures, ‘supporting terrorism’

International figures call for unstinting global support for Iranian protestors

Three women, three continents, one cause

Sweden to tighten anti-terror laws

Medya News

Impressum

About us

Privacy Policy

Subscribe
Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • All News
  • Opinion
  • Kurdistan
  • Women
  • World
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
  • Ecology
  • Economy
  • Culture & Art
  • Daily Show
  • Newsletter
  • Authors
  • Podcast

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Add New Playlist

Loading
Contact