Yücel Baysali, the bodyguard of Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani of Tatvan Municipality, was taken into police custody after assaulting journalist Sinan Aygül, who brought allegations of irregularities concerning the municipality to the public. Police officer E.K., who had attempted to keep civilians away from the scene with gun threats, was also suspended.
Journalist Sinan Aygül stated on his social media account around 15:30 today (June 17) that he was attacked by armed individuals. In his post, Aygül stated: "I was just attacked in Tatvan by the armed guards of Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani. The assailants, who got out of a municipal vehicle, hit me in the back of the head and then swore and threatened me saying 'You'll drop dead if you write about the mayor again'. I'm being taken to Tatvan State Hospital." Journalist Ruşen Takva obtained footage of the assault and shared it on his social media account. Takva wrote on his social media account where he published the footage: "We obtained the footage showing journalist Sinan Aygül being assaulted today by the bodyguards of AKP Tatvan Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani. According to the footage, the first attack occurs when an individual approaches Sinan from behind while he is walking. Citizens who see the incident and try to intervene are threatened and pushed away from the scene by another person with a gun in his waist." Following the revelation of the assault, Tatvan Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani stated on his social media account that he had nothing to do with the incident, saying "The incident is a result of an argument between individuals that we do not condone. I send my get well wishes to Sinan Aygül. We have also initiated an administrative investigation into the municipal personnel mentioned in the incident."
Turkish Journalists Association condemned the attack
The Journalists Association (TGC) condemned the attack on Aygül. The statement released on the association's social media account said, "We vehemently condemn the attack on journalist Sinan Aygül. Local journalists are subjected to violence almost every day. Have we forgotten about the murder of Güngör Arslan in Kocaeli last year? Authorities who fail to take measures against impunity are responsible for the attacks! Stop attacking journalists!” Mehmet Emin Geylani announced that Yücel Baysali, who attacked Sinan Aygül, was suspended. Geylani stated on his social media account, "We are deeply upset by the incident that took place in Tatvan today. Our municipal employee Yücel Baysali, involved in this unfortunate event, has been suspended. I am personally following the incident. I respectfully announce this to the public..."
Statement from the Governor's Office
The statement from the Bitlis Governor's Office included the following remarks: "Today at around 15:15, we received a fight report from Şeyhmuz Zırhlı Street in the Culture Neighborhood of our Tatvan district. Upon reviewing the report; a legal and administrative investigation was immediately launched against Y.B., a Tatvan Municipality worker involved in the incident that resulted in the assault of Sinan Aygül, a journalist in Tatvan, and Police Officer E.K., who was deemed to be at fault in preventing the incident and acted in a way incompatible with the policing profession, and Police Officer E.K. was suspended from duty. The legal and administrative investigation into the matter is being meticulously carried out."
The backstory of the assault
Two days ago, Aygül had brought allegations of irregularities concerning Tatvan Municipality to public attention on his social media account. Aygül had written: "The sales of immovable assets by the municipalities are on the council agenda. There are serious irregularities and serious crimes in some sales. In a possible investigation / inquiry and an impartial judicial process, many people would get hurt. The tender of Bitlis Municipality was cancelled because there was no participant. I expect the sale carried out by Tatvan Municipality to be cancelled as well on the grounds that competitive conditions were not established. Cancel that sale. Tatvan Municipality, it's not your father's farm. Do we really need to open a "corruption in tender" file?"
