Presidency Cancels Accreditation of Journalist Following Syria Operation

Altan Sancar (r) (Photo: MA/Twitter)

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While Turkey's military operation into northern Syria continues on the seventh day, the accreditation of Altan Sancar, a freelance journalist following the developments on the border area, has been canceled.

Saying that he and the police were verbally notified on the cancelation, Sancar, who have reported for various outlets including Taz, Independent, Gazete Karınca and Özgürüz Radyo, told bianet that he had to leave the area as he was not an "approved journalist" anymore.

"I received accreditation"

"I went to the operation area on October 10. Officials told me that I need accreditation otherwise I can't work in the borer area. We wanted to make an application, trying our luck. I was accredited without any problems, presumably because there was an order that these proceedings must be quickly handled.

"For four days, I chased news on the border area. After the attack in Nusaybin district in Mardin where eight people died, I went there on October 13. I went to the house which was hit by mortar shells. I reported what happened there through live broadcast and written reports.

"Because the hotels there were full, I went to Akçakale in the border area again. When I was at the hotel, I was called from the lobby. They informed me that the police are in the lobby. I thought they would detain [me]. I informed colleagues at the hotel and went downstairs."

"The police were also verbally notified"

"Three police officers were waiting for me. Without any mistreatment or bad language, they told me that my accreditation was canceled by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications. I asked them if they have a written notification. They said that they were also verbally notified and confiscated my accreditation card. Then they left the hotel.

"Not having accreditation means that you are not an 'approved journalist' in the area. If you insist on chasing news without accreditation, you might be detained. I had to leave the region.

"But I saw that a different perception was created about the employees of international media in the area. We faced difficulties all the way because of that perception.

"I can say that everyone is nervous there and the journalists who work in the region are nervous too." (HA/VK)