Vienna, 09/12/2014
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East and Central Europe, condemns the attack on several journalists who were reporting from the northwestern province of Kocaeli from an environmental meeting.
The journalists were allegedly assaulted by the police, in order to prevent them from photographing and filming. Their cameras were taken by police members, and there are claims that allegedly one police officer attempted to injure Kocaeli newspaper reporter Erhan Altıparmak.
„We are alarmed by all these new cases in Turkey where human rights are seriously disrespected, and media freedom is violated. We insist that Turkish authorities investigate this case of violance against journalists. Pressures that journalists in Turkey face seems to be increasing every day, and that is a matter of great concern to us“ SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said today.