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Twenty-nine years have passed since the prominent Kurdish journalist, Musa Anter, known as Apê (Uncle) Musa was murdered in Diyarbakir (Amed) in southeast Turkey on 20 September 1992. Anter was a respected writer and journalist who dedicated his life to the freedom of the press. He was assassinated by the notorious Turkish intelligence agency JİTEM – (Gendarmerie Intelligence and Anti-Terrorism Unit). The Musa Anter and Free Press Martyrs Journalism Competition was started in his memory and has been held annually ever since.
This year the competition was organised by the Yeni Yasam newspaper. Winners of the competition were announced in five different categories: Turkish News, Kurdish News, Photography (photojournalism), Caricature and Women’s Journalism, this last in memory of Gurbetelli Ersöz, a Kurdish journalist and the first female editor-in-chief of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which was based in Turkey.
The awards will be presented to the winners at a ceremony at 18.00 on 20 September at the Şişli Municipality Cemil Candaş City Cultural Centre.
The majority of the applications for the competition were in the Turkish News category, MA reports.
The first prize in the Turkish News category was awarded to Canan Coşkun; while Mesopotamia News Agency correspondents Diren Yurtsever and Gökay Başcan won special jury awards.
The jury in the Kurdish News category awarded the first prize to Kadrî Esen for his article entitled “Ji rûpelên dîrokê 2 stran û helbesteke derbarê Kurdan de” (Two songs and a poem about Kurds in the pages of history). Kadrî Esen’s award was for his report of songs and poems about Mîr Bedîrxan Beg and Şêx Ûbeydulahê Nehrî, two important figures in Kurdish history, first uncovered by investigative writer Ûgûr Dûrsûn Adsiz. The Kurdish News category special jury prize was awarded to Sema Çağlak.
The jury in the Women’s Journalism category awarded the first prize to Jinnews reporter Öznur Deger for her report on abortion practices in hospitals in the Turkish capital Ankara entitled, “Only 7 out of 35 health institutions in Ankara perform abortions”. NuJınha correspondent Medina Mamedoğlu and Jinnews correspondent Derya Ren were awarded the special jury prize for Women’s Journalism.
The jury in the Caricature category awarded the first prize to two works. Musa Keklik and Fahriye Çıtaklı were awarded joint first prize. Sait Munzur was awarded the Cartoon special jury award.
No prize was awarded in the Photography category this year.
Honorary prizes are also awarded by the Musa Anter and Free Press Martyrs Journalism Awards. Emine Şenyaşar, who lost her husband and two sons as a result of an attack by bodyguards and relatives of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP Ibrahim Halil Yildiz, received the Honorary Award for her fight for justice.
