Kadri Bağdu, Kurdish Newspaper Distributor, Killed in Adana

Azadiya Welat newspaper distributor Kadri Bağdu (46) lost his life yesterday after being assaulted in Seyhan located in the southern district of Adana. 

The incident took place around 9:20 am local time as unknown individuals in a motorcycle fired at Bağdu during his distribution shift - an incident that reminded many of Turkey’s unclaimed killings during the 1990s. 

“We have become a target” 

Following the incident, Kurdish press workers from Özgür Gündem and Azadiya Welat located in Adana protested the killing along with officials from Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and other NGO representatives. 

A statement has been made by Azadiya Welat newspaper worker İbrahim Karakaş condemning the incident. Reminding of killings allegedly orchestrated by Turkey’s Gendarmerie Intelligence and Fight Against Terrorism Agency (JİTEM) and counter-guerrilla forces, Karakaş said the following: “Despite all the pressures, the predecessors of Mentor Musa [Musa Anter, a murdered journalist] are being targeted by pro-ISIS groups and Hizbul-Counter forces and especially Justice and Development Party (AKP).” 

He also mentioned that Bişar Durgut, another Azadiya Welat worker, was assaulted with a knife recently as well as other journalists in the region. 

“Counter-guerrilla in action” 

DİSK Basın-İş, Turkey’s progressive media union, made the following statement: “Bağdu was murdered in a very familiar way. He was murdered in the back of his head, a fashion that reminded us the unclaimed killings during the 1990s. The message is clear. Media workers have not been targeted the first time and we know that this is not the last one. Those [AKP government] who claimed that they have dismissed the counter-guerrilla and brought advanced democracy to Turkey have suddenly brought it back. Don’t forget, the people will never forget those who write the truth and stand against the lies.” (EÖ/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.