Turkish journalist Güngör Arslan killed in armed attack in Kocaeli

Turkish journalist Güngör Arslan, publisher and news editor of local news site Ses Kocaeli, was killed in an armed attack on Feb. 19 in the northwestern province of Kocaeli. In his last article, Arslan had written about corruption allegations concerning Kocaeli Mayor Tahir Büyükakın, from the AKP.

Monday February 21 2022 10:48 am

Duvar English

The owner of a Turkish news website was killed in an armed attack on Feb. 19 and police detained a suspect, the office of the governor of Kocaeli province said.

Güngör Arslan, owner and columnist of the Ses Kocaeli site, had been taken to hospital after the attack and later died, it said.

"The perpetrator ... was detained alongside the weapon used in the crime, and an investigation was launched," the office added.

The motive for the attack was not immediately clear.

Media outlets said that Güngör had been shot in the chest and leg.

Several journalism groups called on the Turkish government to launch a swift and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Arslan’s killing and to determine whether journalism was a possible motive for the shooting.

“The fact that police apprehended the suspect and found a weapon is promising. Now they must ensure that everyone involved in the killing, including any potential masterminds, are brought to justice,” said CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator Gulnoza Said in New York.

In his last article published a day before his death, Arslan had written about corruption allegations concerning Kocaeli Mayor Tahir Büyükakın, from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Arslan had said that the mayor had awarded a construction tender to Haldız İnşaat, the company of a close friend.

(Reporting by Azra Ceylan;Editing by Alison Williams)