Eylül Deniz Yaşar, a photo and video journalist with AFP, reported experiencing severe verbal and physical abuse during her detention by police at the Newroz celebrations in Yenikapı, Istanbul. Yaşar was detained on March 17 and, following a health check, was released in the evening.
During the approximately six-hour detention, Yaşar shared with MLSA her ordeal. She described how police officers approached her aggressively before the detention, attempting to slap her. At the checkpoint, police demanded her press card, leading to further confrontations. Yaşar recounted that one female police officer tried to slap her as she defended herself by raising her hand. The officer also attempted to twist her arm and tried to take her camera, which she resisted.
Yaşar, asserting her rights as a journalist, faced increased hostility. When she insisted on the legality of her actions and her right to carry her camera, police forcibly detained her. She tried to protect her camera and demanded to be allowed to call her lawyer, but was met with refusal and further threats.
While in the police vehicle, Yaşar experienced demeaning, sexist, and racist remarks. She quotes police officers comparing the detainees to Jews in Nazi Germany, stating, "Be thankful we don't turn you into soap like the Jews." Such statements were part of the repeated threats and insults Yaşar and others faced during detention.
In addition to Yaşar, other detainees, including a 14-year-old girl who was handcuffed, were subjected to humiliating treatment. Yaşar emphasized the inappropriate use of handcuffs on the child and the overall violation of their rights. She described an incident where the police physically assaulted women detainees, including Yaşar, who tried to protect them.
Yaşar also highlighted the continuous targeting of journalists. She was repeatedly threatened for asserting her rights and stating her intention to report the incident in multiple languages. Police officers' threats to "cut her tongue" symbolize the hostility toward journalists who expose human rights violations and uncomfortable truths.
Yaşar plans to file a complaint against the police officers involved, condemning the attempt by authorities to intimidate journalists and suppress freedom of expression. She interprets these threats as a continuation of a mindset that has historically targeted journalists like Musa Anter and many of her contemporaries who are either imprisoned or in exile.
