Turkish police detained 30 people, including 20 journalists, during a protest in Istanbul on Saturday, in response to the deaths of two Kurdish journalists, Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin. The journalists were reportedly killed in a Turkish drone strike in northern Syria, a claim that has sparked widespread condemnation and raised questions about press freedom and civilian safety in conflict zones.
The demonstration, organized by the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, the Mezopotamya Women Journalists Association, and the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey Press Union (DİSK Basın-İş), was held in Istanbul’s Şişhane Square. Protesters gathered to condemn the deaths of Daştan, 32, and Bilgin, 29, who were killed while covering clashes near the Tishrin Dam, east of Aleppo. The area has been a hotspot for the ongoing conflict between Turkish-backed forces and U.S.-supported Kurdish fighters.
Police intervened as protesters attempted to read a statement to the press, removing journalists covering the event and detaining some, according to eyewitnesses. DİSK Basın-İş called for the immediate release of the detainees, stating on social media, “Our colleagues who gathered in Şişhane Square to protest the killing of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin have been detained. We demand their immediate release.”
The deaths of Daştan and Bilgin have drawn widespread condemnation. The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association and other media organizations have demanded accountability, alleging that a Turkish drone targeted the journalists, who worked for Syrian Kurdish media outlets Rojnews and Anha. The Turkish Journalists Union criticized the attack, calling it a violation of journalists’ safety and a threat to press freedom.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also attributed the strike to a Turkish drone, echoing reports from the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya news agency. However, the Turkish military denies targeting civilians, stating its operations are solely against “terrorist groups.”
In a related protest in Van, eastern Turkey, police detained 55 people, including 10 journalists, during a demonstration over the reporters’ deaths.
