A Turkish journalist was assaulted in suspected retaliation for his reporting on alleged local corruption, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday, urging authorities to bring both the attackers and those who ordered the assault to justice.
Evren Demirdaş, a reporter for the Sözcü opposition newspaper and broadcaster, was beaten by three men in the eastern province of Elazığ on October 1 after attending a city council meeting. The attackers broke his nose, Demirdaş said, adding that he did not know the men and that they said nothing during the assault.
Demirdaş said he believes the attack was linked to his coverage of alleged corruption in the region. Police detained four suspects following the beating, of whom three were later arrested.
“CPJ is glad that Turkish authorities in Elazığ rapidly arrested suspects in the attack on journalist Evren Demirdaş,” Özgür Öğret, the group’s Turkey representative, said. “However, the instigators behind this cowardly act should also be thoroughly investigated to achieve true justice. The authorities must ensure that attacks on the media will have consequences.”
The CPJ said it contacted the Elazığ Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office for comment but received no response. No trial date had been set as of Tuesday.
Rights groups have long warned that violence and threats against journalists in Turkey often go unpunished, fostering self-censorship and fear among members of the press.
Turkey, which remains one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, according to press freedom organizations, dropped to 159th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in early May.
