Detention Warrant on Injured Journalist Rıfat Tekin

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Detention warrant has been issued on imc TV cameraperson Rıfat Tekin injured by bullet in his leg as he was following up report in Cizre and taken to Mardin State Hospital for treatment.

There are police waiting in front of orthopedics service.

Tekin wounded by bullet yesterday (January 20) has been taken to Cizre State Hospital by being dragged, as imc TV reports.

The reporter sent to Mardin from Cizre was battered and kicked in his injured leg by police on the hospital exit.

Leg of Tekin being treated in Mardin has been treated. Journalists Faruk Balıkçı reporting the recent development on imc TV live broadcast said that there is detention warrant on Tekin and police officers are waiting in front of orthopedics service, and guests can enter by only ID check.

Tekin’s treatment continues in Mardin State Hospital.

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/TK)