Medine Mamedoğlu
Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) Co-Chair Kesira Önel stated that journalists who were taken into custody while following protests in the Nusaybin district of Mardin were “subjected to ill-treatment and threats”: “What was targeted was very clearly journalism.”
DFG Co-Chair Kesira Önel and journalists Pelşin Çetinkaya, Heval Önkol, Ferhat Akıncı, and Muhammed Ali Yılmaz were taken into custody while monitoring the protest held in Nusaybin on January 21. The journalists were kept in custody for one day; they reported that their professional activities were questioned during police and prosecutor statements. After their prosecutor statements, the journalists were released on January 23.
“The peaceful march was not allowed, then interventions began”
Stating that the action was planned as peaceful from the very beginning, Önel said that there was intervention at the first stage and permission was not given for the march. Önel said that after a short walk, it was decided to switch to a sit-in protest in the park, and explained that they later learned about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement saying that “nothing would be allowed.”
“Their heads were stepped on, their hair was pulled”
“At that moment, three journalist friends of ours—Heval Önkol, Ferhat Akıncı, and Pelşin Çetinkaya—were taken into custody. Their heads were stepped on, their hair was pulled, and they were severely beaten. Ferhat Akıncı’s nose was injured; his T-shirt and sweater were torn. We learned that they were dragged along the ground while being taken away.”
“A police officer ran quickly toward me and directly attacked the camera. I pulled myself back and said, ‘I am a journalist, don’t touch me’… Despite people saying ‘She is a journalist,’ the intervention continued.”
“No report was drawn up; they threatened us by saying ‘Are you aware that you are in custody?’”
Önel said that they were taken to the Nusaybin Anti-Terror Branch and that for approximately four hours it remained unclear what would be done. “Our belongings were suddenly confiscated. No official report was drawn up; only small notes were taken,” she said.
“We were kept facing the wall in the detention corridor; no water was given”
Önel claimed that they were made to wait facing the wall in the detention corridor in Mardin, and that pressure not to speak or make contact was imposed by shouting. She also added that when they wanted to obtain a medical report documenting ill-treatment at the hospital, they faced police intervention.
“This entire process was directed at our journalistic activities. Our filming was prevented; we were subjected to physical and verbal violence and threats.”
“Our release happened due to the insistence of the lawyers”
Stating that their release occurred as a result of the lawyers’ insistence, Önel said that they were even able to retrieve their belongings only piece by piece. Claiming that the intense flow of news and images from Nusaybin disturbed certain circles, Önel said that after their release they learned that access bans had been imposed on various platforms.
“Solidarity is very important against this pressure and censorship. Solidarity with journalists needs to be increased. We will continue to convey the truth.”
According to data shared by DFG, since January 6, 7 journalists have been taken into custody and 1 journalist has been arrested. In the same period, 2 news websites were shut down, access was blocked to 25 media outlets, and 30 X accounts—15 of them belonging to journalists—were also blocked.
