Journalist and Can TV presenter Ezgi Soysal was assaulted by a family living in her neighborhood while returning home in Ataşehir, Istanbul. She was targeted by a group consisting of three men, four women, and three children yesterday evening and has filed a complaint against them.
Soysal said she was attacked by the same family she had previously reported for polluting the neighborhood and causing disturbances. It has been officially recorded that she has been subjected to systematic attacks since January. However, despite her complaints, no measures have been taken against the perpetrators.
Having lived in Ataşehir for about four years, Ezgi Soysal told MA about what happened. She said that she has been constantly harassed by people living in nearby buildings. “They also pollute the area I live in. I filed complaints with CIMER and the municipality, but no preventive action was taken. They also damaged my car. I warned them, but they kept behaving the same way,” she said.
They almost ambushed my father
Soysal said that three women attacked her in January. “During that attack, my finger was broken, and I sustained wounds and tissue damage. In April, they attacked my father at a bus stop, saying, ‘We’ll tear your head off.’ My father had bruises around his eye and nose,” she said.
They wanted to kill me
Describing the latest attack on October 28, Soysal said, “While I was coming home, one person suddenly appeared in front of me and insulted me. When I was attacked from behind, I fell to the ground. Then they called their relatives — about ten people surrounded me and kicked my head and body. If people passing by hadn’t intervened, I would have died there.”
Complaints were ignored
Soysal said that she has been filing complaints since January, but an indictment has still not been prepared. She added: “On October 27, I went to the police station twice but was turned away. On October 28, I was ambushed and attacked in an organized way. Still, no one has been detained or even called in for questioning.”
She continued: “Because of this indifference, I almost lost my life. Neither I nor my father is safe. The slow pace of the justice system allows people with criminal records to walk freely on the streets. As a journalist, I’m seeking justice.”