I met my murderer

Can Dündar is a journalist, documentary filmmaker and author. As editor-in-chief of the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, he reported, amongst other things, on arms deliveries by the Turkish secret service to Syria. As a result of his investigative reporting, he was sentenced in absentia in Turkey to 27 years’ imprisonment for espionage and betraying state secrets. During the trial, an assassination attempt was made on him in May 2016 outside the courthouse in Istanbul.

In his book I Met My Assassin: A Journalist and the Dark Side of Power, Dündar recounts his encounter with the man who had been commissioned to murder him. Drawing on this personal story, he sheds light on the interconnections between democratic and authoritarian governments, organised crime and terrorist networks, as well as the mechanisms that link all these elements together.

Can Dündar has been living and working in exile in Berlin since 2016. There, he founded the independent news platform #Özgürüz (‘We Are Free’). He has also produced numerous documentary films, published several books and written columns for various newspapers and media outlets.

Can Dündar has received numerous awards in recognition of his commitment to press freedom and independent journalism.