First beatings, then a dawn raid on journalists! Many reporters and political figures detained during İmamoğlu protests

Following the operations conducted against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, 48 people, including the Republican People's Party's Presidential Candidate and İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu, were arrested. These arrests, which also included the mayors of Şişli and Beylikdüzü, turned into protest actions across the country.

The protests that began after Ekrem İmamoğlu was taken into custody continued unabated following the arrest decisions. While the actions intensified, particularly on university campuses and in city centers, police raids were carried out on many homes across Istanbul in the morning hours. As a result of these raids, many people were detained.

Information was shared that the detentions were carried out on the grounds of "acting in violation of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstration Marches."

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül had previously made the statement, "No attempt to disrupt public order will be tolerated," regarding the protest demonstrations that began after the detention of İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu.

BirGün reporters Ebru Çelik and Deniz Güngör, who were covering the rally held in Saraçhane, were subjected to police intervention despite stating that they were journalists. Both reporters were beaten with batons and kicked.

Ebru Çelik, who was reporting on the protests in Saraçhane, was attacked by police in front of a hotel despite identifying herself as a journalist. Çelik was first exposed to pepper spray at close range and continued to be kicked after falling to the ground. During this time, her gas mask was removed by police and pepper spray was sprayed directly into her face. Çelik remained in the hotel where she took refuge with bruises on her face and body.

Another BirGün reporter, Deniz Güngör, also received his share of police intervention. Despite stating repeatedly that he was a journalist, Güngör was pepper-sprayed, shot with plastic bullets, and kicked by police. Güngör was forced to take refuge in a coffeehouse to protect himself.

"JOURNALISM IS NOT A CRIME"

DİSK Basın-İş reacted to the police violence against the journalists.

The following statements were included in the announcement:

"Our member, BirGün reporter Ebru Çelik, and another BirGün employee, Deniz Güngör, who were covering the rally held in Saraçhane against the unlawful arrest of İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu, were kicked, subjected to violence with batons, and tortured by the police. In Turkey, the public's right to receive news is being obstructed by the hands of RTÜK, the judiciary, and law enforcement, according to the decisions of the government.

We condemn the violence against journalists! We invite prosecutors to take action to immediately initiate judicial proceedings against all police officers who committed violence! JOURNALISM IS NOT A CRIME!"

JOURNALISTS IN DETENTION

According to a subsequent statement by DİSK Basın-İş, NOW reporter Ali Onur Tosun, photojournalist Bülent Kılıç, journalist Zeynep Kuray, AFP reporter Yasin Akgül, journalist Hayri Tunç, İBB photojournalist Kurtuluş Arı, Sendika.org reporter Zişan Gür, and BirGün columnist Barış İnce were detained in the operations carried out this morning.

LEFT PARTY MEMBERS ALSO IN DETENTION

It was learned that Left Party (SOL Parti) Central Executive Committee member Lawyer Deniz Demirdöğen and the Left Party İzmir Provincial Chair, who is also a columnist for BirGün newspaper, Barış İnce, were detained in İzmir. Additionally, information was shared that Barış İnce's wife, Sevil İnce, was also detained.

HARSH STATEMENT FROM TKP: "THE DETENTIONS ARE UNLAWFUL"

The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) harshly criticized the detention of its Istanbul Provincial Chair Ahmet Dincel, Party Assembly member Arda Hacıyusufoğlu, and three party members. In the statement made by the TKP, it was said, "The detention of our executives on the grounds of their participation in the demonstration in Saraçhane is unlawful. They must be released immediately."

TKH: "DETENTIONS ARE A SIGN OF OPPRESSIVE POLICIES"

The Communist Movement of Turkey (TKH) also announced that three of its members were detained in the police raids carried out in the morning hours on the grounds of "participating in a banned action." In the TKH statement, it was emphasized that this situation is a reflection of the government's oppressive policies, and a call was made for the immediate release of those detained.

REVOLUTION MOVEMENT: 2 OF OUR MEMBERS, 1 A LAWYER, ARE IN DETENTION

The following was stated in the announcement made by the Revolution Movement (Devrim Hareketi):

In Istanbul, two of our comrades, one of whom is among our party lawyers, were detained as a result of house raids. House raids against citizens who take to the streets for their country, for their bread, for secularism, and for independence must end immediately. Let those detained be released."

News Source: 12punto