"If you write about the mayor, you will die."
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
We envision a society where #MediaFreedom enables open discourse and everyone can receive and impart information.
The first attacker sprinted at Sinan Aygül from behind. He swung an iron bar at the journalist’s head, breaking his right cheekbone and forcing him down a set of concrete steps. As Aygül fell to the ground and the attacker launched into a barrage of frenzied punches, a passerby rushed to intervene. Within seconds, the good samaritan was grabbed from behind and forcefully thrown from the scene. A second man had been callously watching the attack unfold, a gun tucked into his waistband. He hovered with a menacing authority, ensuring no one stepped in before they delivered their message to Aygül:
"This is what happens when you write about the mayor."
The vicious assault lasted less than two minutes but Aygül suffered a broken cheekbone and serious wounds to his legs, nose, and shoulder. He decided not to tell his four and seven year old sons about the incident. They later saw it on the news.?
The two attackers worked as bodyguards for Mehmet Emin Geylani, the mayor of Tatvan. One was in charge of protecting the mayor and municipal staff, the other was an official police officer tasked with protecting the police and the president. A week before the attack, Aygül had reported on the allegedly illegal sale of municipal land – a transaction approved by the mayor.
Captured clearly on CCTV, the two men were promptly arrested for their roles in the cowardly attack, but Aygül holds a bleakly realistic expectation for the future:?
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“The investigation continues. However, in this country, everything proceeds according to politics, not law. Therefore, it may even turn against me.”
Aygül had feared a retaliatory attack in the days before it happened. He was already worried that he would be killed in the street. Since the assault, he still receives regular threats and no longer feels comfortable going out. He wonders where the next attack might come from. Despite this, Aygül remains committed to his craft. Once he recovers, he plans to continue exactly where he left off.
The attack on Sinan Aygül is just one of 151 media freedom alerts recorded on Mapping Media Freedom in Turkey in 2023, at the time of publication.
If you witness a violation, report it and join the fight to defend free media.
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1 年*confident might be a more accurate descriptor than "comfortable?" There is nothing comfortable about the aftermath of serious physical injury. The blow to his head - with an iron bar - would leave any colleague with serious concussion. As someone recovering from double concussion - idiot not work related - trust me. Concussion leaves people shaken, confused, and sometimes bereft of any confidence, at all, let alone comfort. I applaud the article and its level tone, but feel 'comfortable' seriously underplays a reality of concussion recovery. What Aygül suffered easily qualifies as TBI, traumatic brain injury. Even without TBI, the feelings of powerlessness and dread after an attack would make any sane person lose confidence. There is no comfort. Feedback, not criticism, like I say - an important article about us, just putting in my two cents for awareness.
Biotechnology Industry Media & Investor Relations Consultant
1 年Important to know about - thank you ECPMF.