Journalist threatened by police chief while filming 'justice watch'

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

A reporter for the Mesopotamia Agency (MA), Emrullah Acar, was verbally attacked by police while he was working on a report on a family's months-long protest in the Kurdish-majority province of Urfa.

Emine Şenyaşar, whose two children were killed by the relatives of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy İbrahim Halia Yıldız in 2018, has been keeping a "justice watch" in front of the Urfa Courthouse for 106 days.

Today, a police chief threatened reporter Acar even though he was waiting outside of the courthouse yard.

The officer is heard saying "You can't film" while shoving the reporter. When he says he is outside the courtyard, the police chief responds, "Don't talk":

Adliye önünde adalet arayan Şenyaşar ailesini takip eden üyemiz MA muhabiri Emrullah Acar'ın görev yapması tehdit ve hakaretlerle engellenmiştir. Görüntüde yer aldığı şekilde polis suç işlemiştir. pic.twitter.com/6uaRNmruHm

— DİSK Basın-İş (@Disk_Basin_is) June 22, 2021

The officer then tried to take Acar's mobile phone by twisting his arm, according to the MA report. The reporter was then removed from the area.

The police chief reportedly told the journalist that the area he was in was a "courthouse outbuilding area" and "There is no journalistic activity. Go away. If I see you filming, I'll detain you."

The DİSK Basın-İş press workers' union made a statement on Twitter, saying "Hands off our member and profession. The press will bow down to no one!"

In late April the General Directorate of Security banned recording voices and images of police officers during demonstrations to "protect their privacy."

The circular instructs police to prevent people who capture images or voices of police officers during demonstrations and to take legal action against the people in question. (HA/VK)