Dozens of journalists, representatives of political parties, unions and civil society groups gathered Wednesday in the western city of İzmir to denounce an armed attack on the local bureau of the Evrensel newspaper, a leftist Turkish daily known for its labor reporting and critical stance toward the government, Turkish media reported.
The protest, held outside the Türkan Saylan Cultural Center in the Alsancak district, took place on the same day as the attack. A man fired multiple shots at Evrensel’s office on Kıbrıs Şehitleri Street at around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the newspaper.
The assailant, who emptied the gun’s magazine, was taken into custody by police. No injuries were reported.
Speaking at the protest, Evrensel’s İzmir representative, Özer Akdemir, said Evrensel has pursued “truth from the side of workers” since its founding in 1995 and called the attack an assault on both press freedom and the public’s right to information.
“In a period when dissenting voices are met with repression and when workers are condemned to poverty, this attack is not just on our newspaper,” Akdemir said. “It is against the workers, public employees, retirees, farmers, women and youths whose struggles we report on.”
Evrensel Editor-in-Chief Hakkı Özdal suggested the incident may be linked to recent reporting by the paper. “To uncover the truth [of who targeted us], one must look at the headlines we have run in recent weeks,” he said, implying that the paper’s investigative or critical coverage of local business or political interests in İzmir might have provoked hostile reactions. Özdal, however, did not name any particular report.
Representatives of the Turkish Journalists’ Union, labor organizations and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) also voiced support for the paper during the rally. Protesters chanted slogans including “Evrensel will not be silenced” and “Free press cannot be silenced.”
Founded in 1995, Evrensel covers workers’ strikes, the Kurdish political movement, environmental protests and other issues often underrepresented in Turkey’s mainstream media. Its coverage has drawn repeated government fines, advertising bans and lawsuits, and reporters have faced police detention during assignments. The paper is viewed as a persistent critic of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and has been a frequent target of nationalist anger online.
