The Free Press Association (YRA) Co-Chair Dilyar Cizîrî spoke to ANF about the attacks of the Turkish state against Kurdish journalists. Co-chair Cizîrî stated that it was the Kurdish free press that exposed and prevented the politics that the Turkish state and its supporters sought to spread in the region and said, “If the politics and policies of the Turkish state in Syria have been exposed today, the free press has a great role here. The free press has also played a major role in the fact that the unique system and defence power created in Rojava and North-East Syria has made an impact all over the world. It was the free press that first exposed the Turkish state's relationship with ISIS. For this reason, the free press has always been their target. It has constantly been subjected to attacks.”

27 press members martyred in Rojava

Cizîrî recalled that 27 of his fellow press workers have been martyred in different attacks so far in this struggle and said, “In Rojava, the Jin TV car was targeted by an UCAV on 23 August 2023. It is noteworthy that on 23 August, the day the Jin TV car was struck, the car of press workers was targeted again, this time in Sulaymaniyah. In this attack, our female journalist friends were targeted again. Here, the Turkish state is clearly proving that its biggest fear is the Free Press, which exposes the truth, its dirty war policies and the occupation games it is trying to implement in the region. It sees the Free Press as a major obstacle and wants to liquidate it.”

Gulistan Tara did not recognise the borders drawn by the enemy

Stating that Gulistan Tara, who was martyred in the attack in Sulaymaniyah, worked in Rojava and did important work, Cizîrî continued: “She was a journalist in pursuit of the truth. She did not recognise the borders drawn by the enemy, she crossed them and worked wherever there was a struggle. She made great efforts in Rojava and continued his work in South Kurdistan. As a result of the co-operation of the KDP and the Turkish state, she was targeted. The KDP and the Turkish state are pursuing the same policy. Their media organs made a dirty broadcast to legitimise the attack. KDP executives are in a race to sell themselves to the Turkish state. Just as the free press exposed all their dirty politics in Rojava, it continues to expose the dirty politics of the Turkish state and KDP in North and South Kurdistan.”

The Turkish state commits a crime

Dilyar Cizîrî noted that international law and conventions make journalists and medics untouchable in war zones and said, “Unfortunately, the Turkish state is using its military ammunition and weapons against free press workers in front of the eyes of the whole world. International organisations remain silent. In fact, they can hold the Turkish state to account and impose economic, military and diplomatic sanctions. To our regret, they have not adopted such a deterrent approach so far. We submitted all the documents related to the targeting of the Jin TV car to these organisations, together with witness statements, but nothing came of it. These organisations should make their stance clear within the framework of their duties and responsibilities.”

The Free Press workers have liberated themselves from the power of sovereign states

YRA Co-Chair Dilyar Cizîrî emphasised that the children of the people, who grew up on the idea of a democratic nation, the philosophy of the Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the legacy of the pioneers of the Kurdish Freedom Movement, also pioneered the free press: “Free press workers have liberated themselves from the power of sovereign states. Regardless of attacks and pressures, they will not move away from the fact that the Kurdish people are facing genocide. This people need freedom. The struggle is being waged on this basis. It will continue to grow with great determination against the Turkish state and all other invaders.”