Armed attack on newspaper distributor in Adana

Kadri Bağdu (48), distributor of the newspapers Özgür Gündem and Azadiya Welat, died following an armed attack in Adana.  A group aiming to march to the Governor’s office gathered in front of the hospital where Bağdu died, blocking traffic on Mücahitler Street and chanting the slogan “The free press cannot be silenced.”

According to information obtained about the incident, Kadri Bağdu was shot yesterday morning by two people who approached him on a motorbike while he was delivering newspapers. Bağdu was shot in the head and died after being taken to hospital.  The autopsy revealed that Kadri Bağdu was shot from behind; he was hit in the head with two bullets, and also in the his neck, shoulder and hand. Two empty 7.65mm shells were found at the scene of the shooting. 

According to a report by DHA, Kadri Bağdu was seriously wounded and was taken from the scene of the incident to hospital, where he was taken into surgery. Learning of the attack on Bağdu, friends and relatives arrived at the hospital to ascertain his condition, along with Uğur Bayrak, DBP (Democratic Regions Party) leader for the Adana province. 

Reporters learned that police investigating the incident had spoken to an eyewitness who said that Kadri Bağdu, who was delivering newspapers on his bicycle, was shot from behind as he came out of a side street by an attacker on a motorbike wearing a helmet.

‘If there were a will to do so, the attackers could be arrested within 2 hours’

According to information provided by lawyer Vedat Özkan, Kadri Bağdu was delivering the newspaper Azadiya Welat in the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhood of Ova when he was shot by an attacker on a motorbike at around 08.30 this morning. There are said to have been two masked assailants, who fired six shots at Bağdu. Bağdu, aged 48 and a father of eight, was taken from the scene of the shooting to Acıbadem Hospital. Having been hit by two bullets in the head and three bullets in other parts of his body, Bağdu was taken into surgery but doctors were unable to save him. 

Özkan claimed that this attack was a continuation of the Kobani demonstrations and may have been carried out by gangs associated with ISIS. Özkan stated that Bağdu had delivered Kurdish newspapers for 15 years and was well known by the people of Adana. He continued with the following words: 

“While delivering newspapers during the day to subscribers in the Ova neighbourhood, he was shot by two people on a motorbike. We believe that this was an organised, targeted and intentional attack by ISIS gangs.  Our guess is that it occurred due to events related to Kobani. Those who did this are the same people who have been carrying out attacks on Kurds for the last 3-4 days. We met with the public prosecutor. There have been no arrests, and no serious effort has been made to shed light on the incident. Even if there are no cameras at the scene of the incident, there must be cameras on the routes the attackers used. If there were a will to do so, the attackers could be arrested within two hours. The fact that they have not been arrested shows that this was carried out with the protection of the state.” 

“The state is responsible”

In an article published today, the newspaper Özgür Gündem held the state responsible for the killing of Bağdu, saying, “This attack on the free press was carried out following the execution order given by President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Davutoğlu. The state and government are responsible for this attack that is reminiscent of Çiller’s executions against the free press in the 90s.”

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