Amid ongoing protests against government-appointed trustees in several southeastern Turkish municipalities, journalists report facing police violence, harassment, and threats. Media professionals in Batman highlighted incidents reminiscent of the 1990s, a period marked by severe repression in the region.
Aziz Oruç, a journalist covering the recent protests, noted that police interference during their reporting mirrors past oppressive practices. The protests erupted after trustees (kayyım) were appointed to replace elected officials from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in the municipalities of Batman, Mardin, and Halfeti in Şanlıurfa on Nov. 4.
Police violence against journalists
During demonstrations, police targeted journalists attempting to report on the events. On Nov. 5, police reportedly beat and detained Jinnews reporter Pelşin Çetinkaya and Yeni Yaşam newspaper staff member Veysi Aküren on camera. They were released without formal questioning later that night.
Journalists from Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Jinnews, and Yeni Yaşam reported threats from individuals claiming to be police officers on Nov. 8. These individuals tried to forcibly detain Aküren without identifying themselves, drawing their weapons and threatening bystanders who intervened. The Batman governor's office later defended the incident as a "lawful intervention."
Journalist testimonies
Rojda Aydın from Jinnews described the challenges of working as a journalist in the region:
"Being a journalist here is already difficult, but being a Kurdish journalist brings unimaginable hardships. Today’s attacks recall the kidnappings and killings of the 1990s. Despite the harassment, we strive to reflect the truth. Police violence during protests damages our equipment and endangers our safety."
She cited a recent incident where unidentified men tried to abduct her colleague Veysi Aküren, saying, "If we hadn’t intervened, he might have disappeared." She also mentioned a social media post from an account named "Turkish Revenge Brigade" claiming responsibility for the threat, evoking memories of extrajudicial actions in the 1990s.
Fethi Balaman of Mezopotamya Agency shared similar experiences:
"On the day of the trustee appointments, we witnessed people being tortured in the streets and forced to kneel with handcuffs. When we tried to record, police physically intervened and threatened us. This repression is meant to silence both protesters and the media."
Call for solidarity
Journalists emphasized the need for solidarity among media organizations to resist attacks on press freedom. Aydın called on press institutions to act collectively, stressing that "only united journalists can counter this oppression."
Despite the challenges, the journalists vowed to continue reporting:
"We will not stop documenting these protests and amplifying the voices of the people. The attacks on freedom of thought and expression are unacceptable, and we will continue to fight for press freedom."
