MLSA - The military operations of the Syrian Interim Government, that is, HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham), targeting Rojava were protested in many cities across Turkey. In mass demonstrations organized across a wide geography from Istanbul to Van, from Diyarbakır to Mardin, thousands of people took to the streets. While the harsh interventions of security forces marked the protests, journalists were also affected by these interventions; many press workers were subjected to police violence.
As in almost every social event in Turkey, in these demonstrations as well, journalists were among the first to be targeted. What happened once again revealed not only the interventions on the streets but also the pressure placed on the public's right to receive news.
The topic of this week’s episode of “Çetele with Onur Öncü,” aired on MLSA TV, is social events and the targeting of journalism. Guest of the program, MLSA Trial Monitoring Coordinator journalist Semra Pelek, evaluated the background of the pressures on journalists. Stating that what happened cannot be explained solely by a security policy, Semra Pelek said the following:
“The resulting picture shows that the state is conducting not only a security policy but also an information control policy. The state tries to control information in areas it cannot control. At this point, we face detentions, arrests, and various obstructions.”
Pelek stated that journalists are paying the price for their witnessing of news and said: “Journalists today are paying the price of being in public spaces, of witnessing events, and also of producing memory. The state tries to control information by silencing journalists in areas it cannot control.”
The full episode of Çetele with Onur Öncü, featuring Semra Pelek as a guest, can be watched on MLSA TV’s YouTube channel.
