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Informed that a fire broke out in a house in Merkez Bağlar district in Diyarbakır, İhlas News Agency (İHA) reporter Murat Başal and Demirören News Agency (DHA) reporter Emrah Kızıl went to the scene of incident.
Journalists were subjected to a knife attack by a group of people who were allegedly the relatives of the family whose house was burning.
Suspects have been released
As reported by İLKHA news agency, during his news follow-up, İHA reporter Emrah Kızıl was attacked by a group while he was videotaping the incident. He was then wounded in his arm and other parts of his body.
When DHA reporter Murat Başal tried to intervene, his nose got broken due to the blows he received. While the police officers attempting to intervene in the incident were also attacked, the ones who were detained by the police have been reportedly released by the Public Prosecutor on Duty.
'We condemn the attack'
The Southeast Journalists Association (GGC) has condemned the attack on journalists in a written statement.
Indicating that "the attack on journalists is grave," the association has underlined that "the release of the assaulters who made an attempt on journalists' lives with sharp objects is equally grave."
"The release of the perpetrators is an indication of the fact that the journalists who try to practice their profession by risking their lives do not have any life safety anymore," the statement of the GGC has read.
Calling on the authorities, it has said, "We request that the related authorities show the necessary sensitivity and the investigation against the persons who attacked our colleagues be conducted with the same sensitivity so that journalists can work in freedom and safety on the street."
'They irresponsibly put public health at risk'
Global Journalists Council (KGK) has also released a written statement condemning the attack on journalists. Sharing details about the incident, the Council has noted that "two siblings set the house of their quarantined mother on fire, thereby irresponsibly jeopardizing the health of not only themselves, but that of the public as well."
The KGK statement has further questioned "what emboldened these two siblings to display their unreasonable aggressive behavior towards journalists who went to the scene of the incident upon a fire call even when security forces were present in the scene."
The statement of the Council has also underlined that "if too much tolerance is shown to such assaulters who threaten public health in these days when all types of measures are taken to stay healthy and to be protected from the virus, such an attitude will undermine people's trust in the law."
Against this backdrop, the KGK has expressed their expectation that "steps relieving the public conscience will be taken against those who threatened both journalists and public health." (SO/SD)
