Turkey: Journalists Threatened While Following Healthcare Strike For Murdered Doctor In Konya
Location: Turkey, İstanbul Date: July 8, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Photo credit: Evrensel Daily
Artı TV reporter Meral Danyıldız and her colleague were threatened by a police chief while following incidents about healthcare workers' strike in İstanbul for better working conditions after their colleague was fatally killed in Konya. The police chief threatened the journalist and her cameraman colleague, while they attempted to stop him from using force against a woman health worker. The Coalition For Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) follows the police violence against journalists in Turkey with great concern. We demand the authorities take immediate action against the police officers who threaten and use excessive violence against journalists.
On June 6, cardiologist Dr. Ekrem Karakaya was shot dead at a hospital in Konya. The doctor was reportedly killed by a man who blamed him for his mother’s death and killed himself after he shot the doctor. The two-day strike came after the fatal death of the doctor. Hundreds of healthcare workers took the streets of various cities to demand better working conditions at hospitals. In İstanbul police attacked the healthcare workers to stop them from protesting. Police used excessive force and tear gas while dispersing the protesters and obstructed journalists from filming and reporting the events.
Artı TV reporter Meral Danyıldız and cameraman Bilal Meyveci were at the scene when they were threatened by İstanbul’s Security Branch Chief. The police officer walked toward the journalists and threatened them when they attempted to stop him from physically and verbally harassing a woman health worker. Meral took to her Twitter account and shared videos of the moments of threats she recorded. She said the police chief shouted at her and targeted her colleague. “I couldn't get him to hit a woman," she added. She continued that she does not feel safe both as a journalist and as a woman in Turkey and reminded the security force's duty to ensure citizens’ safety.
Meanwhile, Habertürk reporter Gizem Türemen and tv100 reporter Gülay Alaca, who followed the incidents, were similarly blocked by the same police officer. Turkish press union, Turkish Press, Broadcasting and Printer Workers' Union (DİSK Basın-İş) shared the scenes where reporters were obstructed on the official social media account. In the video, the police officer threatened journalists saying “You will get in trouble, then you will fall to the ground".
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned about the safety of journalists working in the field in Turkey. We demand the Turkish authorities end threatening and targeting journalists by the security forces. The security force's fundamental duty is to ensure every citizen’s safety, including a journalist. Using excessive force against journalists solely for doing their job violates press freedom and is unacceptable. We call authorities yet again that journalism is not a crime, and we demand an environment where journalists can do their jobs safely and freely.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.