Journalists countrywide to support colleagues in clash zones

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

Journalists based in Turkey launched an initiative in solidarity with their colleagues struggling to report in southeastern Turkish provinces struck by clashes between security forces and outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants. 

The initiative, “News Watch Turkey,” convened journalists seeking the right to information and groups headed to southeastern provinces to support their colleagues in the country’s southeast where reporting may sometimes fall short of elaborating on developments on the region.

“To show solidarity with our colleagues in the region, we will go to their media outlets and work with them according to their needs. We can either follow stories in the field or work as an editor in their news room. We can also write stories on the working conditions of our colleagues there,” the initiative explained on its website.

News Watch Turkey aims to coordinate their work with the Free Journalists’ Association as well as voluntary journalists based in the region. The initiative vows to “work hard to bring in much needed reliable news and analysis” and to “defend the public’s right to know.”

“Our fellow journalists who live and/or work in the conflict areas face immense pressures. They are very often prevented from doing their jobs, sometimes having guns pointed to their heads, sometimes being beaten and arrested,” it added.