AZİZ ORUÇ
Journalist Öznur Değer has filed a criminal complaint with the Van Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding threats she received after reporting on an alleged extortion ring led by Özcan Polat. In addition to the complaint, Değer has requested a restraining order against Polat and his associates due to concerns for her safety, stating, "I was pressured to take down the report, and they even had the audacity to offer a bribe."
Değer’s article, titled “Extortion Ring in Van: Who is Özcan Polat,” exposed a network reportedly led by Polat, which has long been active in Van but largely unreported. The article detailed how young women were allegedly coerced and manipulated within this network, involving drug dependency and compromising recordings used for blackmail. Following the publication, Değer said she was subjected to threats and insults from Polat and his associates, who demanded the report’s removal.
"The report serves the public interest"
Speaking to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) about her experiences, Değer explained that her investigative work is in the public interest. “My reporting informs the public and exposes crimes that are hidden. It is almost impossible to avoid being targeted by those involved in these crimes, who fear exposure and social condemnation,” she said. She emphasized that the impact of raising public awareness is more significant than the threats themselves, adding that she hopes the report encourages women who have suffered at the hands of this network to come forward with greater courage.
Commitment to independent journalism
Değer also stressed the need for social awareness to prevent the normalization of "special war tactics" in Kurdish regions. She said, "As independent journalists, we will continue to report with courage and strength drawn from the truth, refusing to yield to such criminal groups."
