Journalists Pledge to Follow Up on Erkan Koyuncu Case

It has been one month since Erkan Koyuncu, sports writers at Sabah Newspaper, died by being stuck in between the wall and the gate of Florya Metin Oktay Sports Facility. Koyuncu’s colleagues and Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) stated that they won’t allow the case to be closed and will not give up following the case.

Having released a press statement, TGS Secretary General Mustafa Kuleli address to sports clubs, Turkey Football Federation (TFF) and Sports Clubs Unity and demanded working conditions to be improved. 

Kuleli asserted that the investigation was “so quickly” completed and drew attention to that a security guard faced prison of six years but not an investigation into Club Directors, staffs in the plant or the company who produced the gate, was filed. 

Kuleli: Federation should determine a standard 

Kuleli added the following:

“Transfers are done and the league has started. Everybody will begin to have fun and it is believed that the case will be forgotten. But no, this is not going to happen. We declare here that we won’t stop following the process. 

“Everybody should know that we don’t accept our uncomfortable working conditions anymore. We invite clubs to pull themselves together and take measures to prevent further death cases. We demand that TFF determines a standard for the sake of better conditions and punishes those who don’t obey the standards. 

“This speech we delivered here for our brother Erkan is the beginning of a long process. We will no doubt struggle against injustice caused by accreditation, copyright, overtime, insurance, salary, dismissing, pressure and censorship.

“From now on, those who don’t respect sports reporters and broadcasters will encounter the power of our solidarity.”

On August 2, Koyuncu had came to Florya Metin Oktay Sports Facility for following the training of Galatasaray Soccer Team and he lost his life by being stuck in between the wall the automatic iron gate. (EA/MUY/BM)

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso and its partners and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. The project's page: Safety Net for European Journalists. A Transnational Support Network for Media Freedom in Italy and South-east Europe. 

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.