Kurdish journalists in Turkey protest crackdown on free press

Turkey has closed many TV and radio stations following the failed coup of July 15. The media outlets closed are largely seen as leftist, pro-Kurdish, and pro-Alevi.

104 journalists in the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir have lost their jobs. The journalists have been protesting for three days under the slogan 'free media, free society.'

Faruq Balugcu who has worked as a journalist for 10 years in Turkey's Kurdish southeast told Rudaw: "This is the first time such a large number of television stations have been stopped from broadcasting. This shows that whoever did it means to oppress. We do not believe he has the mercy to give us back our jobs."

Refik Tekin was a war reporter mainly covering Turkey's conflict with the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK). 

"For years press in northern Kurdistan has not been able to work. It has been under physical pressure from the force of the gun in the past. But this time it is different.”

Bakir Gunes said: "We will stay here for three days. This short time may not seem like much. But we will send an important message to the Turkish state and those who censor the press."