News Center- Thousands participated in the “Freedom Rally” that took place in Amed (Diyarbakır) on October 13,2024 to demand the physical freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Police blockaded the people and used violence against the journalists covering the rally.

‘Journalists were prevented from reporting’

The Mesopotamia Women’s Journalists Association (MKG), the Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (DFG), the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), DİSK Basın-İş, the representatives of the Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS) in Diyarbakır, the Haber Sen Diyarbakır Branch and the Local Media Association have released a written statement, condemning the police violence against the journalists.

 “The ‘Freedom Rally’ scheduled to be held in Diyarbakır on October 13 was banned by the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office. Despite the ban, many people, especially the representatives of political parties, took to the streets and tried to hold a march. The journalists in the city were also there to cover the rally,” the statement said. “Police responded to the people and prevented the journalists from covering the rally. In recent years, police prevention has become a routine, reaching a level of violence against journalists. Police officers used violence against the journalists and attempted to detain them. Our colleagues, Heval Önkol, Ceylan Şahinli, Hevidar Önver and Sonay Ödengit, were subjected to police violence and prevented from reporting.

“Although our colleagues told police officers that they were journalists, they were subjected violence for a long time.”

‘We will be in solidarity’

The statement referred to the Constitution and international convention protecting journalists and said, “Preventing journalists from reporting is unacceptable. We, the undersigned press organizations, call for an end to violence against journalists, which has become a routine in recent years. Stop targeting journalists who do their profession to protect the public's right to information. We will keep being in solidarity with all journalists who are being prevented from doing journalism.”