Journalist Faik Akgün, founder of the news site Elazığ Gerçekleri (https://elaziggercekleri.com/) from Elazığ in Türkiye / Turkey, has faced life-threatening backlash after publishing a critical article about the poor state of the Sarayatik neighborhood in Elazığ, Türkiye / Turkey. In the 11 November 2024 piece, Akgün reported on complaints, including overflowing garbage and frequent water pipe issues, accusing local politician in power of prioritizing political activities over essential neighborhood services. The report featured photographs highlighting these problems.
After publishing the report, two local politicians allegedly sent Akgün a threatening messages. One was saying on social media, “We’ll meet eventually… sometimes accounts must be settled in this world.” Another local politician, echoed the hostility, warning Akgün that he was overstepping his bounds and that retreat was no longer an option. This person statement insinuated severe consequences for the journalist’s reporting.
Akgün took legal action, filing complaints with the Elazığ,Türkiye / Turkey Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. He also raised concerns about alleged political affiliations.
It is not the first time that Akgün received a threat. In 2022 he faced pressures when reporting on one controversial case about a medical student whose death was linked to intense religious pressure. Akgün reported about the student who committed suicide.
That investigation led to his dismissal from Günışığı (https://www.gunisigigazetesi.net/) newspaper and threats from religious groups. Even after launching Elazığ Gerçekleri to maintain his independence, Akgün has continued to encounter intimidation, such as being attacked while documenting police actions.
Despite the danger, Akgün asserts his commitment to journalism, emphasizing that he will not be silenced. His case has highlighted the broader challenges of press freedom in Türkiye / Turkey, with calls for stronger protection of journalists and investigations into the threats against him. Also the Turkish organization Bianet (https://bianet.org/) reported about this case.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the threats made against journalist Faik Akgün. Intimidation aimed at silencing journalists is unacceptable and poses a severe threat to press freedom. SEEMO calls on authorities to take immediate action to protect Akgün and ensure a safe environment for journalists. SEEMO will be closely monitoring this case to ensure that the responsible parties are held accountable and that the fundamental rights of media professionals are upheld.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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