Istanbul, May 8, 2025—Authorities in Turkish occupied Northern Cyprus must do everything in their power to ensure the safety of chief editor Ayşemden Akın, who was threatened after her Turkish news site Bugün Kıbrıs published her three-part investigation into alleged government corruption, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.
Akın said she received a threatening phone call a day before whistleblower Cemil Önal, her main source in the series, was murdered in the Netherlands on May 1, according to multiple reports. Önal, the former finance director for an alleged crime lord, made allegations of blackmail, extortion, bribery and money laundering against authorities in Turkey and Turkish occupied Cyprus.
“The urgency of securing journalist Ayşemden Akın’s safety could not be clearer after multiple death threats and the murder of her source,” said Özgür Öğret, CPJ’s Turkey representative. “Turkish authorities in Northern Cyprus must take swift action to ensure Akın’s protection, investigate threats on her life and hold those responsible to account.”
On Wednesday, Akın told CPJ via messaging app that she has been offered a limited police protection service in response to the threats, with a police car being sent to surveil her home for about a half an hour every morning. Akın said police appeared to pull the service before it was later reinstated after she posted about it on X.
Police chief Kasım Kuni told Turkish news site Kısa Dalga there had been no request for increased protection, but Cansu N. Nazlı, a lawyer for Akın, countered this denial with documents showing three separate requests. The matter was brought to the agenda of the parliament of the KKTC on Tuesday by the opposition, and government spokesperson Özdemir Berova said Akın will be “protected.”
Akın is a citizen of the Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, whose 1976 declaration of independence as the Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) is only recognized by Turkey.
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they will take legal action against accusations in Akın’s reports in a statement.
CPJ emailed the Office of the Presidency in KKTC for comment but did not receive any reply.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.
CPJ Staff | Radio Free (2025-05-08T18:58:39+00:00) Turkish Cypriot journalist threatened, source murdered after reporting on alleged government corruption. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2025/05/08/turkish-cypriot-journalist-threatened-source-murdered-after-reporting-on-alleged-government-corruption/
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