Journalists beaten and arrested

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing its concern further to the recent arrests of and attacks against Turkish journalists in Rome. According to RSF’s information, on 16 November 1998, Adnan Gerger and Fatih Cotur, reporter and cameraman, respectively, for the private ATV station, Göksel Polat and Hakan Dikiciler, reporter and cameraman for the private Kanal D […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing its concern further to the recent arrests of
and attacks against Turkish journalists in Rome. According to RSF’s
information, on 16 November 1998, Adnan Gerger and Fatih Cotur, reporter and
cameraman, respectively, for the private ATV station, Göksel Polat and Hakan
Dikiciler, reporter and cameraman for the private Kanal D station, and
Korcan Karar, reporter for the daily “Sabah”, were allegedly arrested by
police about sixty kilometres from Rome. The journalists were headed for the
region where, according to their sources, Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), was recently arrested.

**Updates previous IFEX alert of 16 November 1998**
RSF reminds that on 14 November, Faruk Zabci and Fatih Altayli,
correspondent and editorialist, respectively, of the daily “Hurriyet”,
reporters Hayrettin Karateke and Metchan Demir, Abdurrahman Keskin, reporter
for the official TRT station, Cengiz Özkarabekir, cameraman for the private
Interstar station, Ünsal Ergel and Ahn Özyurt, reporters for the NTV
television station, had been attacked by pro-Kurd demonstrators. At the
time, the journalists were covering a demonstration in support of Abdullah
Ocalan.

Recommended Action

Ms. Rosa Russo Iervolino

Minister of the Interior

Ministry of the Interior

Rome, Italy

Fax: +39 064 74 09 45