During the week-long Newroz celebrations, many people were detained in different cities; journalists covering the events and citizens participating in the celebrations were subjected to police obstructions and harassment. At least 70 people were detained during the celebrations in the Yenikapı event area in Istanbul, at least 30 people were detained in Batman and more than 200 people, including 39 children, were detained in Diyarbakır. After the celebrations in Cizre, Şırnak, footage was released of police officers torturing children in the dispersing crowd. AFP reporter Eylül Deniz Yaşar was beaten and detained while covering the Istanbul celebrations; Bianet reporters Tuğçe Yılmaz, Ali Dinç and Kurdish news editor Aren Yıldırım were beaten by police officers.
21.03.2024