In Turkey, press freedom advocates are concerned about a significant increase in physical attacks against journalists, especially those working in opposition media. Just over a year from the next elections and a campaign that promises to be particularly tense, they call on the political authorities and the justice system to show firmness.
From our correspondent in Istanbul,
Two broken fingers, a skull wound and chronic dizziness: Levent Gültekin’s attack on a busy street in Istanbul on March 8, 2021 was as short as it was violent. About twenty men threw themselves on him, kicked him, before fleeing just as quickly, under the gaze of walkers and surveillance cameras.
A few days earlier, Levent Gültekin had harshly criticized Alparslan Türkes, the late founder of the Nationalist Action Party, the MHP, the main ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his party, the AKP: “The attack was preceded by a campaign against me on social media », explains Levent Gültekin «All the co-leaders of the MHP openly threatened me… Subsequently, thanks to a reader, I had access to the WhatsApp conversations of a local branch of the MHP. On this group, one of them had written the day before the aggression: “Tomorrow evening, we get rid of Levent Gültekin”. »
An upsurge in attacks on journalists
At least 141 journalists have been attacked since 2017 in Turkey, including 56 last year alone. Worse: in the past 12 months, two journalists have been murdered – two members of the regional press – when the country had not experienced this since 2009.
Erol Önderoglu, representative of Reporters Without Borders, traces this upsurge to the last local elections. The ruling alliance suffered heavy setbacks there, notably losing the town halls of Istanbul and Ankara.
After the 2019 elections, we saw a series of physical attacks against journalists questioning the government’s authoritarian policy, questioning this alliance of the AKP party with the ultranationalist MHP party… RSF had launched calls for that the government adopt a firm position vis-à-vis this violence, but no clear position has been adopted.
“When justice becomes powerless, illegality takes over”
To the silence of the political power, Erol Önderoglu adds the leniency of the judicial authorities. The editorialist Levent Gültekin confirms: on March 23 (2022), only two men were sentenced for his attack… to minimal sentences… immediately suspended by the court.
“When justice becomes powerless, illegality takes over and the partisans of power believe themselves above the law, which encourages some to use force. In Turkey, the law of the strongest prevails at the moment. In my opinion, no one is safe“, he laments.
Levent Gültekin, like Erol Önderoglu, says he is worried about the coming year. Legislative and presidential elections will be held in June 2023, and fears of defeat for the ruling alliance are raising tensions among its supporters. RSF calls on the authorities to put in place a “protection systemfor journalists who feel threatened.