HDP co-chair visits Hürriyet over attacks on daily, columnist

Peoples? Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirta? made a visit to the building of daily Hürriyet on Oct. 8 to express his support to the daily in the wake of recent attacks on the daily and one of its leading journalists.

?Politicians should avoid publicly pointing to media outlets as targets,? Demirta? said during his visit to the daily?s building, which was subjected to two separate attacks in less than 48 hours in early September by a group of protesters, with Justice and Development Party (AKP) Istanbul deputy Abdurrahim Boynukal?n delivering a violence-inciting speech to them.

During the visit along with his wife, Ba?ak Demirta?, and HDP Istanbul deputy Garo Paylan, Demirta? made remarks on the recent attack on the daily?s leading columnist Ahmet Hakan outside his home in early October.

?Those who committed [the attack on Hakan] should immediately be found and tried within a comprehensive investigation. The attack occurred in front of everyone,? Demirta? said. 

Hakan was attacked outside his home in Istanbul?s ?i?li district on Oct. 1 by four perpetrators, including three AKP members.

Demirta? said his party was worried about pressure on media outlets in Turkey and that media outlets and journalists should be able to work freely. 

?In the aftermath of these sorts of attacks [such as that on Hakan], comprehensive investigations should be launched and judicial means should be lawfully used to prevent future attacks,? Demirta? said.

Demirta? said no one could force media outlets to retreat with such attacks, adding that it was pointless to ?scare, threaten and attack media groups to change their coverage on behalf of you.?

Demirta?, during his visit, met with Hürriyet Chairperson...