İSTANBUL - ETHA and MA reporters, who were exposed to police violence and detention while they were following news, filed a criminal complaint against the police.

 

Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Doğan Kaynak

 

While the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform (MKGP) and the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) made a press statement in front of the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan for Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Doğan Kaynak and ETHA reporter Elif Bayburt who were battered and detained while following the Justice Watch in Kartal Square on September 3. 

 

'WE ARE THE STUDENTS OF MUSA ANTER, WE WILL WRITE THE TRUTH'

 

Speaking after the statement, ETHA reporter Elif Bayburt told that this was not the first time they were prevented from doing their jobs by the police and said: "The police are told to prevent us from doing our jobs no matter what. We were following the relatives of the political prisoners and we were subjected to violence. We are the students of Musa Anter. We will continue to write the truth. I call on everyone to support free press workers. Stand with the voice of the peoples."

 

'WE WILL EXPOSE TORTURE'

 

Exposed to police violence on the day of the incident, MA reporter Doğan Kaynak told that they were pushed out of the police barricades to prevent them from recording the violence on the relatives of the political prisoners. Kaynak said: "Do your best to stop us, we will follow those mothers and we will expose your torture."

 

DFG: WE WILL FOLLOW THE PROCESS

 

DFG Board Member Nişmiye Güler emphasized that the police attack on the press has become a policy. Güler said: "The violence Elif and Doğan were subjected to is the continuation of the arrest of the 16 Kurdish journalists and both of these incidents is a threat against the remaining journalists. We will not be the journalists the government want us to be. We will convey the truth to the people and follow this process closely."

 

MKGP: WE WILL STAND UP AGAINST THIS TOGETHER

 

Speaking on behalf of MKGP, Diren Yurtsever said: "The question we must ask is why the police is trying to block the cameras, what are they hiding? We know what they are hiding. They are trying to hide the torture. They are torturing the relatives of the political prisoners. We will file a criminal complaint today and start this legal struggle. We are here for them."

 

After the statement, the journalists entered the courthouse and filed a criminal complaint against the police violence at the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.