Kurdish journalist summoned to testify over Corona coverage

Kurdish journalist Oktay Candemir has been summoned for criminal interrogation by the police in Van. As part of an investigation, he is to testify on his coronavirus articles in the social media.

The Turkish police in Van province have opened an investigation against Kurdish journalist Oktay Candemir. The 43-year-old journalist was summoned by telephone for criminal interrogation on Tuesday because of "unfounded and provocative news articles on coronavirus " in the social media. Candemir refused because of the risk of Coronavirus infection and was subsequently called upon to visit the police headquarters next week.

In Turkey, there are considerable doubts about the official government statements on the facts surrounding the Corona. The number of cases is rising drastically, and it is feared that the country could become the new trouble spot. But a clear line - except against critics - is not pursued by the government. Instead, the AKP initiates a campaign and collects donations from its own people against the Corona crisis. The most important goal of the government at the moment is to keep the economy running.

Candemir has also repeatedly reported on this and on the contradictory information on the Corona pandemic provided by the government and the associated media.

Oktay Candemir has been working as a journalist for 18 years and has been repeatedly targeted by the Turkish security authorities. In the last four years he has been summoned to the police department on a total of 40 occasions, and he has also had to deal with exactly 25 lawsuits. Candemir was arrested three times during house raids and released only on condition of reporting requirements. For two years he has had to sign in at the police station on a weekly basis. For one year he was held on remand in various prisons.

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