Reporters Attacked in Istanbul

DIHA Reporters Suna and Bozkurt were attacked by a group of extreme nationalists as they were covering a clash between leftist and rightist students at the Istanbul University. The reporters filed a complaint against attackers.

Erol Önderoğlu

Reporters Sedat Suna and Ertus Bozkurt of the Dicle News Agency (DIHA) were attacked by a group of 25, as they were covering a clash between leftist and rightist students at the Istanbul University (IU).

The group that attacked Suna and Bozkurt was allegedly made up of extreme nationalists.

A crowd holding chains, wooden boards and sticks attacked the reporters as they arrived at the Literature Department of the Istanbul University to cover the clashes.

Reporters complained about the attack

Bozkurt argued that the police didn't intervene in the attack although it happened right in front of the police station.

"We don't know why they attacked us," Bozkurt told bianet.

Instead of detaining the attackers, the police seized the identity cards of Suna and Bozkurt.

The reporters filed a complaint against the attackers at the Beyazit Police Station.

Bozkurt, who has been covering the events at the Istanbul University during the last month, reports in Kurdish.

He is also a student at the Communications Faculty of the university. Suna writes news stories in Turkish. (EO/EU/EA/YE)

Origin

BÄ°A News Center

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.