Police Judge, Rule on Journalist Refik Tekin

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The remark “separatist terrorist organization member” has been used on the custody documents regarding journalist Refik Tekin who has been shot in his leg in Cizre and is still being treated in Mardin Hospital.

According to the report of imc TV, the order submitted by Şırnak Provincial Security Directorate has instructed to keep Tekin under surveillance during his stay at the hospital and to take him into custody and have his testimony after being released from the hospital.

Both the documents prepared by Chief Prosecutor M. Sait Köseoğlu and Şırnak Provincial Security Department use the expression “separatist terrorist organization member” concerning journalist Refik Tekin.

The same protocols also demonstrate that Tekin has no juridical records yet.

Tekin has been staying in Mardin State Hospital for five days. Police are waiting in front of his door.

İmc TV has raised formal objection against the custody order and press organizations have demanded the Governor of Şırnak to revoke the order. Yet no response has been addressed concerning the issue yet.

What had happened?

Tekin has been wounded as the group among who Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP, Faysal Sarıyıldız included was marching towards the neighborhood under curfew upon Serhan Altun losing his life for not being allowed to be taken into a hospital, nine others have been wounded alongside Tekin.

State-run Anadolu Agency (AA) had announced the injured as “terrorist” and said “Conflict erupted in Cizre district of Şırnak province between security forces and terrorists. In the conflict, three terrorists have been neutralized and nine others wounded. The wounded terrorists in the conflict zone were tried to be taken away by funeral vehicles and ambulances. There was reportedly an allegedly cameraperson working for a TV channel among the injured” in its report.

Following the incident, Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) had emphasized that journalists working in the region have no life safety.

Refik Tekin

Cameraperson and photographer Refik Tekin was following with imc TV reporter, Saadet Yıldız curfew and ongoing conflicts in Kurdish cities for a while.

Tekin had also photographed ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) members crossing into Turkey and granted Metin Göktepe Journalism Award with Yıldız. (EA/DG)