Turkish police batter, pull gun on journalists during rally on Peace Day
Turkish police have pulled guns on journalists who were reporting on a rally as part of the September 1 World Peace Day events in the eastern province of Van.
Duvar English
Police on Sept. 1 battered journalists who were reporting on pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) rally as part of the September 1 World Peace Day events in the eastern province of Van.
The police battered journalist Mesut Bağcı and broke his camera, Mezopotamya Agency reported on Sept. 2.
An undercover police officer threatened Mezopotamya Agency reporter Berivan Kutlu and JINNEWS reporter Zelal Tunç, saying: “I will shoot you, no one will find you.”
The same officer pulled a gun on JINNEWS reporter Elfazi Toral, and the incident was captured by cameras.
Moreover, police officers tried to break reporters’ cameras, preventing them from taking pictures.
Additionally, the General Directorate of Security (EGM) allegedly called some journalists and threatened them for not publishing any footage on the incident.
Journalists will file a criminal complaint against the police through the Human Rights Association’s (İHD) Van branch.