Attacks on journalists: Gültekin is neither the first nor the last

* Journalist Can Dündar was targeted in an armed attack in front of the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan in May 2016

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It has been two months since bianet covered the physical attacks on journalists with the title "Being a journalist in Turkey: 5 physical assaults in 15 days." Speaking to bianet shortly after this news was published, the representatives of professional organizations noted that the reason behind the increasing attacks was impunity, as was also the case before.

These attacks on journalists have reached such an extent that seven journalists have been attacked in the first three months of 2021 while 18 journalists were attacked throughout 2020 and 139 journalists have been attacked in Turkey in the last five years.

In BİA Media Monitoring 2020 Annual Report, bianet rapporteurs Erol Önderoğlu and Sinem Aydınlı commented on the physical attacks on journalists in Turkey in the following words: "The toll mounted as journalists were targeted while covering the conflicts and protests in 2016 and local journalists, criticizing the ruling 'People's Alliance', were attacked in the middle of the street after the last local elections on March 31, 2019."

When we consider the attacks on journalists in the last five years, we have a grim picture before our eyes. Some of the journalists physically attacked in the country since 2019 can be listed as follows:

2021

Levent Gültekin: He was attacked on his way to the "İki Yorum" (Two Comments) program that he presented. March 8, 2021 | İstanbul

Ferruh Varanoğlu: Columnist. He was shot in his foot in an armed attack carried out by an unidentified person. February 16, 2021 | Bursa

İzzet Tınmaz: The grant holder of İlk Havadis (First News) and news coordinator of Anadolu'nun Sesi (Voice of Anatolia). Two people stopped his car on his way to work and beat him with sticks. January 9, 2021 | Aksaray

Kıymet Sarıyıldız and Murat Uçkaç: Hedef (Target) newspaper and İhlas News Agency (İHA) reporters. They were battered by the relatives of a suspect arrested for drug dealing while he was taken from the courthouse. January 13, 2021 | Aydın

Afşin Hatipoğlu: KRT TV program presenter. He was attacked by a group of unidentified persons wearing masks in front of his house. | January 14, 2021

Orhan Uğuroğlu: Ankara representative of Yeniçağ newspaper. While he was about to get in his car in the morning, four people attacked him with sticks. He was wounded in his arm. January 15, 2021 | Ankara

2020

Murat Başal and Emrah Kızıl: Reporters for İHA and Demirören News Agency (DHA). They were attacked by a group of people with knives while they were covering a house fire. September 9, 2020 | Diyarbakır

Efrayim Gündem: The editor-in-chief of Haberkent newspaper. He was punched by a person named Tuncay Aktürk. It was alleged that Aktürk was instigated by Elazığ Mayor Şahin Şerifoğulları and his brother Korkut Şerifoğulları. September 5, 2020 | Elazığ

Oktay Güçtekin: Reporter for Ege'de Sonsöz (Last word in the Aegean). While he was trying to cover the fight that ensued a vote in the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İzmir Provincial Youth Organization, he was faced with an attempted lynch. August 30, 2020 | İzmir

Nevşehir Journalists' Association: The vehicle parked in front of the association's office was arsoned by an unidentified person or persons. August 25, 2020 | Nevşehir

Yakup Kocabaş: Dim Media Gazipaşa representative. His house was attacked at around 3.30 a.m. August 25, 2020 | Antalya

Şaban Önen: Karacabey Yörem newspaper grant holder. He was attacked by four people in the car park in the Municipality Lorry Garage. August 19, 2020 | Bursa

İbrahim Konar and Volkan Kamber: Kanal D reporter and cameraperson. He was attacked while he was covering the complaints of people about the İstanbul Bilişim company. August 13, 2020 | İstanbul Şişli

Gökhan Balcı: The owner of Yurtta Haber (News in the country) newspaper published in İstanbul Çekmeköy. He was intercepted after leaving his house. An unidentified person in mask got out of a car and pointed a gun at Balcı. July 16, 2020 | İstanbul

Ses Newspaper: An online and printed newspaper from Kocaeli. An armed attack was carried out on the newspaper at around 5 a.m. Nine shots were fired at the administrative building. April 20, 2020 | Kocaeli

Ulvi Tanrıverdi: The grant holder of Çağrı Haber (Call news) newspaper and editor-in-chief of Çağrı Radio. He is known for his news on corruption. He was attacked by a person. He filed a criminal complaint against D.E., who attacked him, and Serdar Aksoy, the District Mayor of Menemen, whom he accused of instigating the attack. April 11, 2020 | İzmir Menemen

Ceren Deniz: Mediterranean reporter for Hürriyet newspaper. She was attacked by a security guard at Antalya Training and Research Hospital where she went for news. April 1, 2020 | Antalya

Barış Pehlivan: Odatv Editor-in-Chief. He was subjected to violence by the warden on the day when he was arrested due to the news on the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) official who lost his life in Libya. March 13, 2020 | İstanbul Silivri

Sputnik News Agency workers: A group of people attempted to attack the houses of three journalists, chanting the slogan, "Martyrs won't die, the homeland won't be divided." March 1, 2020 | Ankara Çankaya

2019

Murat İde: The press advisor for Meral Akşener, the Chair of opposition İYİ Party, and a columnist for Yeniçağ (New age) newspaper. He was attacked by eight people on his way back to house. December 28, 2019 | İstanbul

Murat Yıldız: Reporter. He was attacked by police officers while covering the horse-driven carriage crisis in İstanbul's Princes' Island; he was subjected to severe insults and taken into custody. December 22, 2019 | İstanbul

Hasan Dönmez: DHA reporter. He was slapped by a person during live coverage of an incident where an adobe house collapsed, claiming the lives of two people. Another person asked Dönmez, "What are you doing, bro? What is it to you, bro?" December 10, 2019 | Konya

Metin Işık: The owner of a local newspaper. He was attacked by 10-15 people with sticks. He was wounded in his head, back, hands and feet; he was hospitalized and filed a criminal complaint against the assaulters. November 29, 2019 | Iğdır

Ahmet Takan: Columnist for Korkusuz newspaper. He was attacked by a person with a baseball bat and smacks in front of his house. November 20, 2019 | Ankara Dikmen

Ümit Uzun: DHA reporter. He was battered up by the police while trying to cover a private public bus accident where five people got wounded. August 30, 2019 | İstanbul Gaziosmanpaşa

Levent Uysal: Yenigün newspaper's owner. He was wounded in his leg in an armed attack carried out by two people who approached him with a motorcycle at night. August 29, 2019 | Balıkesir

Sami Harunlar: Barış (Peace) newspaper's owner. He was subjected to an armed attack in front of his house. August 23, 2019 | Mersin Tarsus

Murat Alan: News director of Yeni Akit newspaper. He was reported by the press due to his remarks about some generals "that were taken to court", he was battered in front of his house. June 14, 2019 | İstanbul

Cenker Tezel, Metehan Ekşi and Onur Aydın: Reporters for Hürriyet, TV100 and Habertürk Bloomberg TV, respectively. The speed boat of the Maça Kızı Hotel made the journalists' boat submerge by sailing into it. June 5, 2019 | Muğla Bodrum

Sabahattin Önkibar: Odatv columnist. He was attacked by three people who got out of two vehicles while he was approaching his house. May 25, 2019 | Ankara

Hakan Denizli: Founder of Egemen (Dominant) newspaper. He was injured in an armed attack that he was subjected to while leaving his house with his daughter and grandchild. May 24, 2019 | Adana

Ergin Çevik: Güney Haberci (Southern reporter) News Portals editor-in-chief. He was smacked by three people by being reminded of an article he penned. May 20, 2019 | Antalya Aksu

İdris Özyol: Columnist. He was attacked by a group of people in front of the newspaper where he was working, his arm was casted. The police detained the suspects who previously threatened Özyol. Among the detained was also Taner Canatek, the driver of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Muratpaşa District Chair Talu Bilgili. May 15, 2019 | Antalya, Muratpaşa,

Mehmet Eren: AJANS 37 reporter. After it was reported in the press that MHP Kastamonu Provincial Chair Yüksel Aydın raided a students' event, he was attacked in the square. May 12, 2019 | Kastamonu

Yavuz Selim Demirağ: Yeniçağ newspaper columnist. While he was on his way home from his program on Türkiyem (My Turkey) TV, he was attacked by a group of six-seven people. May 11, 2019 | Ankara

Mehmet Ali Kayacı (Sözcü newspaper's Konya representative) and Ömer Faruk Karabulut: They were attacked while they were covering the election campaign of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). February 27, 2019 | Konya Sarayönü

İrfan Değirmenci: He was attacked by the person that he asked for opinion; he attacked Değirmenci, shouting, "Don't film, man!" February 11, 2019 | İstanbul

Murat Gürkan: Nazillipost reporter. He was attacked due to a news report of his. January 3, 2019 | Aydın, Nazilli

(HA/SD)