Bianet’s Tuğçe Yılmaz beaten by police, AFP’s Eylül Deniz Yaşar detained

Location: Turkiye, Istanbul

Date: March 17, 2024

Women Press Freedom is appalled by the police violence and unjust detention of journalists covering the Kurdish New Year Celebrations (Nowruz) in Istanbul. Bianet's Tuğçe Yılmaz was thrown to the ground and physically assaulted by police, while AFP reporter Eylül Deniz Yaşar was aggressively detained. We denounce attacks against press trying to report. These actions by the police on a day of cultural significance for the Kurdish community are unacceptable. Sadly, police violence against journalists and harassment of Kurdish press members are common occurrences in Turkiye. The officers responsible for this violence must be held accountable. We demand a swift and transparent investigation into police officers seen on camera assaulting journalists; the Istanbul prosecutor must act with urgency.

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On March 17, 2024, while covering the Istanbul gathering at the Yenikapı Rally Area to celebrate Nowruz, multiple journalists were beaten by police while an AFP reporter was wrongfully detained.

Bianet reporter Tuğçe Yılmaz, while attempting to film police evacuating the area, was impeded by officers and warned to stop recording. Yılmaz identified as a journalist and continued to film. In response, a police officer threw Yılmaz to the ground and pressed against the journalist’s throat. Police also assaulted fellow Bianet reporter Ali Dinç.

The violent attack was caught on camera and shows the highly violent actions of the police against the journalists. Bianet reports that police also attempted to detain its Kurdish editor Aren Yıldırım. Yılmaz and Dinç have announced their intention to file a complaint against the police to the authorities.

While en route to cover the Nowruz event, AFP journalist Eylül Deniz Yaşar was unlawfully detained by the police at a checkpoint. Yaşar, who was previously detained in 2021, reported being handcuffed tightly and subjected to aggressive treatment. Her detention followed her protest against what she deemed an excessive and “brutal” police body search. Yaşar, along with 14 others, was insulted by police while being held in a van, derogatorily referred to as "pig droppings, terrorists, traitors." 

She was released six hours later without any charges. Yaşar was among approximately 50 people detained by Turkish police on the sidelines of the Kurdish New Year celebrations in Istanbul.

This violent crackdown by the police cast a shadow over the Nowruz celebrations, typically marked by traditional dances and bonfires, which were canceled due to the unrest. The incident is indicative of the challenges faced by Kurds in Turkiye, a community that experiences significant discrimination. Documentation by Women Press Freedom reveals a pattern of press violations against Kurdish journalists and a litany of attacks since the beginning of the year.

On February 13, 2024, Turkish police conducted raids and detained  Kurdish media workers in Izmir. Days earlier, Kurdish journalists Selamet Turan and Kibriye Evren were detained in similar raids. Turan is being held in jail pending trial, Evren was released under judicial control after three days of detention. All journalists are facing bogus terror-related charges. The Turkish state typically uses the guise of anti-terror operations to jail, imprison, or legally harass Kurdish journalists and their outlets.

Women Press Freedom unequivocally condemns the acts of police violence perpetrated against Tuğçe Yılmaz and the unjust detention of Eylül Deniz Yaşar. Police officers have no right to attack and physically harm reporters simply for carrying out their duty to document events. We express our support for Yılmaz and her colleagues at Bianet as they take the necessary steps to report this horrific attack to the authorities. The prosecutor must initiate a transparent investigation into the officers' actions. Such aggression and violence undermine the fundamental principles of press freedom and must be met with accountability and justice.

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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.

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