YRA and YRJ urge journalistic organizations to stand against Turkish attacks

Our colleagues, Cîhan Bîlgîn and Nazim Dashtan, were attacked yesterday (December 19, 2024), while performing their journalistic duties. A Turkish drone targeted a vehicle carrying them at 3:20 PM on the road connecting Tishrin Dam and the town of Serrin, resulting in their martyrdom and injuring the vehicle's driver, Aziz Haj Bozan.

In protest of the Turkish occupation state's crimes against journalists, dozens of Cîhan and Nazim colleagues gathered in front of the Mohammed Sheikho Center in Qamishlo, following a call from the Free Media Union and Women’s Media Union, and issued a statement.

The statement was read in Arabic by Women’s Media Union spokesperson Arin Sweid, and in Kurdish by Alan Maish, in the presence of dozens of colleagues of the martyrs, Cîhan Bîlgîn and Nazim Dashtan.

The statement read as follows:

"To the Media and Public Opinion:

The Turkish occupation state and its mercenaries escalated their attacks on December 8, 2024, targeting areas in NE Syria, at a time when the world is engaged in discussions about building a new system in Syria that represents all components. The Free Media Institution has worked tirelessly to reveal these truths.

Our journalist colleagues, without hesitation, fulfill their ethical and historical duty on all fronts of the war by exposing and announcing the Turkish occupation state's attacks to the public and global opinion.

Through these attacks, Turkey targets all the values of our society, including media outlets. Despite international agreements granting journalists the right to cover wars and conflicts, and prohibiting their targeting, the Turkish state wages a brutal war even against free journalism and media.

As a vital front of struggle, free journalism has paid a heavy price in its search for truth and uncovering realities.

Recently, due to a treacherous and brutal attack by the occupying Turkish state, two of our journalist colleagues were martyred: journalist Nazim Dashtan and Hawar News Agency correspondent Cîhan Bîlgîn.

Our colleagues had been covering the attacks on Tishrin Dam and Qereqozaqê Bridge since the early days of the resistance.

On December 19, 2024, while performing their journalistic and media duties at 3:20 PM, on the road between Tishrin Dam and the town of Serrin, their vehicle was targeted by an armed Turkish drone, resulting in their martyrdom and injuring the driver, Aziz Haj Bozan.

Our comrade Cîhan Bîlgîn had been practicing journalism in Rojava since 2017. Born and raised in a patriotic and devoted family, Cîhan became a brave journalist who stood at the forefront of free media to convey the Rojava resistance and revolution to the public. Through her pen and camera, she became the voice of the people’s revolution and the women’s revolution. Cîhan worked for eight consecutive years as a correspondent for the Hawar News Agency, filling those years with media and journalistic struggle.

During times when Rojava faced Turkish attacks, Cîhan Bîlgîn would head to the most advanced positions to report the events and realities in the best possible way. In the phases of building the democratic autonomous administration system, as a woman seeking the truth, she worked to communicate the Rojava revolution, specifically the women’s revolution, to the public by preparing reports, files, and interviews.

Throughout the ongoing journey of free journalism, and following the legacy of Gurbetelî Ersoz, Gulistan Tara, Seyîd Evran, Dilîşan Îbiş, and hundreds of martyrs, she passionately brought the Rojava revolution to the public across Kurdistan and the world. Cîhan Bîlgîn was an ideal figure known for her journalistic skills, cheerful spirit, and friendships.

The struggler and journalist Nazim Dashtan hailed from the Gihadin district of Agiri city in N. Kurdistan. Raised in a patriotic family, he became a truth-seeker on the media front and a freedom fighter from a young age, armed with national knowledge. He came to Rojava in 2014 during the first attacks by ISIS mercenaries.

He started his work in Afrin and contributed to covering the historic Kobani resistance. He continued his media activities in Silopi, Sirnak, to cover the resistance of the autonomous administration in N. Kurdistan. Despite Turkish investigations into his journalistic work and facing pressures, he remained steadfast and returned to Rojava in 2016.

Nazim continued his journalistic and media work extensively in Afrin, Kobani, Raqqa, Girê Spî, Shingal, S. Kurdistan, and recently in the resistance of Tishrin Dam against occupation attacks.

With his humble, hardworking, and devoted character, our comrade Nazim Dashtan stood at the forefront of free journalism. He was present wherever struggles occurred, always accompanied by his camera and pen. He followed in the footsteps of Khalil Dag, becoming a voice of truth through his writing and images. As a courageous journalist, he worked in many free media institutions on this long and challenging path of journalism.

We strongly condemn this brutal attack on our journalist comrades. As followers of truth, we vow to walk their path with determination, never abandoning their pens and cameras.

We call on all journalists to be pioneers of truth and followers of free media, in honor of Nazim Dashtan and Cîhan Bîlgîn, who were martyred on this path. We also urge all journalistic organizations and international human rights institutions to raise their voices against this brutality.

We, in free journalism and media, pledge to expand the struggle of our comrades Nazim Dashtan, Cîhan Bîlgîn, and all media martyrs.

Information on our martyred colleagues:

Name: Cîhan Bîlgîn

Father’s Name: Mohammed Nasin

Mother’s Name: Katiba

Date of Birth: Midyat, 1996

Date of Arrival in Rojava: 2017

Date of Martyrdom: 19/12/2024

Name: Nazim Dashtan

Father’s Name: Mohammed Ali

Mother’s Name: Zozan

Place and Date of Birth: Agiri/Diadin, 1992

Date of Martyrdom: 19/12/2024

Long Live the Struggle and Resistance of Free Media

Glory and Immortality to the Martyrs.

A-H

ANHA