Police Harasse Journalist and Complain

Journalist Emin Bal, who has been harassed by police officers while trying to follow a case in the local judiciary court on November 10, 2006 faces charges of deprecation.

Bal, who works for the local Şırnak news as well as the nation-wide Doğan News Agency (DHA) received a medical report of six days of disability for service as a result of the incident.

Police claim that he has beaten three officers at the local headquarters and as a result the complaining officers received a seven day disability report.

During the sitting on February 22, the court listened to witness accounts that recounted Bal taken under custody.

The court will account to the doctor who filed the medical report on his situation following the custody period. Bal claims that he's been beaten during interrogation while the defendants say he injured himself, trying to avoid arrest.

Police agent

The case against me stems from my rejection to serve as a police agent a year ago, claims Bal.

He presented the court a formal writing asking him to work for the police. An officer came up to him and said "you can go in and out everywhere", according to Bal's testimony.

Officers are uneasy about the news that I report, said the journalist.

Harassment

On the day of the incident in question, Bal parked his motorcycle in front of the court hall. A police officer asked him to remove the vehicle and Bal responded that he'll be back in while.

After that, the police officer ordered him to be taken under custody. He claims he's been harassed verbally on the way to the police station and than beaten while under custody.

Next sitting of the case is on March 22.(EÖ/EÜ)