DENİZ TEKİN
In the past 24 days, 10 journalists covering protests in Turkey's southeastern cities of Diyarbakır, Batman, and Şırnak reported being harassed, physically assaulted, or detained by law enforcement while on the job. The detained journalists included Pelşin Çetinkaya, a reporter from the independent outlet Jinnews, who described being dragged across the ground by police while covering protests against government-appointed trustees in Batman.
The journalists affected reported systematic obstruction and intimidation by police as they attempted to cover protests, marches, and public statements in the region. Many reported physical force and verbal threats. Of the 10 journalists affected, six were taken into custody. Some who were injured filed criminal complaints against the police and obtained medical reports documenting their injuries.
Recent incidents
Among the incidents documented, Diyarbakır journalists Heval Önkol, Ceylan Şahinli, Hevidar Önver, and Sonay Ödengit reported physical violence by police while covering a banned "freedom" march on Oct. 13.
On Oct. 15, in Şırnak’s Silopi district, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Zeynep Durgut and Mahmut Altıntaş, along with Jinnews reporter Derya Ren, were detained and allegedly beaten while covering an anti-war protest. All were released the same day following questioning.
In Batman, during protests against the appointment of government trustees to local municipalities, police raided the office of Batman Sonsöz newspaper on Nov. 4 and briefly detained journalist Serhat Aslan. The following day, Jinnews reporter Pelşin Çetinkaya and Yeni Yaşam journalist Veysi Akören were detained and allegedly subjected to police violence while covering the protests.
The Batman Governor's Office has announced an administrative investigation into allegations of police violence against detained protesters.
Journalist Pelşin Çetinkaya speaks out
Pelşin Çetinkaya, whose violent detention was widely shared on social media, described the physical and verbal abuse she endured. She stated that police repeatedly tried to stop her from filming the protest, blocking her camera and shoving her away from the scene. Despite showing her press credentials and asserting her role as a journalist, Çetinkaya said police continued to target her, even pulling her by her hair and dragging her on the ground during her detention. She recounted being tightly handcuffed and experiencing bruising and ongoing pain from the restraints.
“Each time they saw my camera, they tried to stop me. I told them repeatedly I was with the press, but they ignored me, grabbing my collar and pushing me away from the scene. They cursed and insulted me many times. When they finally detained me, they twisted my arms behind my back, even though I told them I was in pain,” she said, adding that her face was bruised from being slapped by an officer.
After her release, Çetinkaya obtained a medical report and filed a criminal complaint against the officers involved. She explained that this is not an isolated incident, stating, “We are constantly targeted because we expose torture and human rights violations. But we will continue to report the truth. No amount of violence will stop us.”
Advocacy groups respond
Roza Metîna, president of the Mezopotamya Women Journalists Association, expressed concern about the pattern of violence and repression against journalists in the region. She highlighted that journalists who challenge the government’s narrative or report on sensitive topics face systematic obstruction. “The pressure on journalists reveals a disturbing trend, especially following the appointment of government trustees. Our colleagues have been assaulted, threatened, detained, and had their footage deleted, all because they were doing their job,” said Metîna. “Where there is violence against journalists, there is no justice or rule of law. We stand against these pressures and will continue our profession.”
