The Izmir office of the Turkish daily newspaper Evrensel, located in Alsancak district, was shot at by an unidentified assailant, last night, at around 1.30am. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) demands an investigation to identify the perpetrator, his motives and convict him.

The attack occurred at around 01:30 am when the office was empty. The man opened fire on Evrensel’s sign with a pistol. Seven bullet holes were found in the sign. Police detained one suspect and collected shell casings from the scene.

The İzmir Representative Office of Evrensel said that the attack was not only against Evrensel, but also aimed at the public’s right to information and freedom of the press.

The Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), an EFJ affiliate, condemned “the armed attack on Evrensel Newspaper (…) We know that this attack is neither isolated nor a coincidence. The bullets were fired to target freedom of the press and expression, and to intimidate journalists. An effective investigation must be conducted to clarify the attack and bring all those responsible to justice. We will continue to defend freedom of the press and expression, and to strengthen our solidarity. We are stronger together.”

“We strongly call on Turkish authorities to hold all perpetrators accountable,” said EFJ President Maja Sever. “The EFJ stands in solidarity with Evrensel’s newsroom and all journalists in the country who continue to report in the face of intimidation and harassment”.