Hakkari Journalist Killed in Van

Kasim Ciftci, the owner of the "Hakkari Province Voice" newspaper, aged 46, was killed in Van on Saturday (22 September). His family took his body from the Van State Hospital on Sunday and buried him in Hakkari, the province town to the south-east of Van and in the very south-east of Turkey.

"Many reasons for death"

Fellow journalist Necip Capraz, the owner of the "Yüksekova News" newspaper, also published in the province of Hakkari, told bianet: "We can see that dark clouds have been gathering over this province recently." Capraz had known Ciftci for 20 years.

Asked whether the murder was related to the freedom of expression or the press, Capraz said he had not come across any evidence yet: "There are several possible reasons for his death in the conditions that this province imposes."

Capraz pointed out that there had been another unsolved murder in the province recently; unemployed Muhsin Ertan had been found dead at the roadside in the Daglica area of Yüksekova, Hakkari.

The murder has been condemned by the Van Lake Journalists' Society and Abdurrahman Keskin, former mayor of Hakkari and the owner of the "Hakkari People's Voice" newspaper.

First a fight, then shots 

The journalist had been found dead near the ruins of old Van City at around 12:30 pm on 22 September. According to the Yüksekova News, eye witnesses saw two people arguing near the ruins. This argument turned into a fight, in which the person hit Ciftci's head with a stone.

When the journalist tried to run away, the other man shot at him. When the journalist had managed to get further away, he shot at him again and then left the area on foot.

The ambulance called to the site could only pronounce Ciftci dead, killed by two bullets. An autopsy has been performed, and an investigation begun by the Van Public Prosecution.

In a written statement, the president of the Van Lake Journalists' Society, M. Emin Toker, expressed his sadness over the death, particularly in the "holy month of Ramazan" and his belief that security forces would solve the murder as soon as possible. (EÖ/NZ/AG)