Reporter slightly injured in 10th attack on journalists in Turkey this year

Photo: Hasan Kırmızıtaş / Twitter

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Demirören News Agency (DHA) reporter Ahmet Atmaca was attacked today (June 10) while following up the killing of a person in the southeastern Antep province.

While he was filming the delivery of the deceased person's body at the Forensic Medicine Institute, Atmaca was attacked by multiple people. Atmaca managed to escape from the attackers after police officers and other journalists intervened.

The assailants, who ran away after the attack, are sought by the police as Atmaca filed a complaint against them.

The reporter was taken to the hospital for treatment after what was the 10th attack on journalists in Turkey in 2021.

Gaziantep Journalists' Society Chair İbrahim Ay made a statement after the incident, saying, "Physical attack is absolutely unacceptable. We want these attacks on journalists, who are working to fulfill their duties under difficult circumstances, to end."

"This attack not only targets our colleague but also targets the public's right to information. We are also saddened by the inadequacy of police and private security officers to prevent the attack," he added.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erdol Önderoğlu said on Twitter that "As the RSF, we want the strongest action to be taken regarding those who are responsible [for the attack]."

Previous attacks on journalists this year:

In the first five months of 2021, 8 journalists were attacked in Turkey. While this number was 18 in 2020, 139 journalists were attacked in the last five years. The following journalists were attacked in 2021:

• Arif Çakmak: An armed person stormed the office of İstiklal, a local newspaper based in İstanbul, Beyoğlu, and demanded two million lira from its editor-in-chief Ahmet Çakmak.

• Hazım Özsu: He was a radio presenter in a local station. He was attacked by Halil N. from his audience who had been following his program for a year. Özsu died at the scene of the incident. March 15 | Bursa

• 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