Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun strongly condemned Israel’s recent targeting of journalists, describing the attack on Iran’s state television and the obstruction of a TRT Arabic broadcast as a “barbaric” act and a flagrant violation of press freedom.

In a statement released Tuesday, Altun denounced the Israeli regime’s ongoing repression of journalists, particularly those reporting on the massacres and devastation unfolding across the region. He accused Tel Aviv of a deliberate strategy aimed at silencing voices that expose its role in regional destabilization and threats to global peace.

Altun highlighted a recent incident in the occupied Palestinian city of Haifa, where Israeli police stormed the location of TRT Arabic correspondent Fehmi Shtewe and his crew during a live broadcast. The team’s equipment was confiscated, and the transmission forcibly shut down. The police reportedly used violence against both TRT Arabic and journalists from the Egyptian Alghad TV, whose only crime was attempting to report the news.

"This is the latest manifestation of this insanity," Altun stated, stressing that the incident reflects Israel’s increasingly brazen attitude toward suppressing media freedom and violating the rights of journalists.

“We vehemently condemn this heinous assault on the freedom of the press and the right to information,” he declared, calling attention to the deafening silence of Western nations and so-called democratic institutions, who, he said, consistently overlook Israeli violations.

“We leave it to global public opinion to judge the silence of the West and its 'democratic' institutions regarding these violations, particularly if and when Israel is the perpetrator, ascribing no significance to any norms or values and completely disregarding them,” he added.

Reaffirming Türkiye’s unwavering support for press freedom, Altun concluded: “Once again, we condemn this abominable act. We will continue to be ardent followers and proponents of freedom of expression, the freedom to receive information, and the rights of media professionals.”

The incident has sparked renewed concerns over the safety of journalists operating in Israeli-controlled areas and further isolated Israel amid growing international criticism of its brutal war on Gaza and crackdowns across the region. (ILKHA)