Kurdistan TV Correspondents Under Pressure
Based at the Kurdistan Autonomous Region in Northern Iraq, Kurdistan TVs Diyarbakır bureau chief Eren says they face discrimination and pressure from local officials. Were continuously surveilled by the police and receive anonymous threats.
Northern Iraq based Kurdistan TV's correspondents in Diyarbakır claim that they face arbitrary discrimination by local officials and receive random threats.
The station's Diyarbakır bureau chief Mehmet Eren told bianet that they established the necessary infrastructure in 2006 but try to work under pressure since then:
"Although we totally comply with the legal framework, we can't cover official events, can't get accreditation without a reason, face random and arbitrary pressure such as identity checks etc.
Our focus is on news related to the Kurdish issue in Turkey and such coverage results in increasing pressure and obstruction on us".
Noting journalists who work for the station are continuously under surveillance, Eren said: "Our houses and offices are surveilled by the police. We also received anonymous e-mail threats".(AÜ/TK/EÜ)
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