Event on fighting impunity in murders of journalists

Duvar English

The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) will be organizing an event on fighting impunity in political assassinations of journalists and intellectuals on Nov. 15 with the families and colleagues of slain journalists in Turkey, Malta and Serbia. 

In the event titled "Unsolved: Fighting Impunity in murders of journalists", slain publisher İlhan Erdost's daughter Alaz Erdost, Özgür Gündem reporter Hafız Akdemir's nephew Veysi Polat, and journalist Slavko Curuvija's colleague and Chair of Serbia's Commission for the Investigation of Murders of Journalists Veran Matic, will be holding a discussion moderated by Turkey's leading human rights lawyer Eren Keskin.

Özge Mumcu, daughter of slain journalist Uğur Mumcu and Matthew Caruana Galizia, son of murdered Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, will also share their experiences at the event. 

The event will be held on Nov. 15 at 18:00 at Havak Hall - Anarad Hığutyun Building located at Papa Roncalli Sok. No 128 Harbiye. Attendants are required to RSVP at [email protected]

Slain journalists and intellectuals

Özgür Gündem reporter Hafız Akdemir was killed in an armed attack in Diyarbakır's Sur district on June 8, 1992. Although one person was convicted, he was able to walk out free. 

Publisher İlhan Erdost was beaten to death in detention on 7 November 1980 at Mamak Prison. The perpetrators were never punished.

Journalist Slavko Ćuruvija was killed outside his Belgrade apartment on 11 April 1999. Two decades later, four former state security operatives were convicted in his murder.

Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who focused on corruption,  was murdered on October 17, 2017 in Malta. Her murder trial is still ongoing.

Journalist Uğur Mumcu was murdered on 24 January 1993 in a car bomb for his relentless investigative work. The actual masterminds have never been on trial.