t24.com.tr
Hitmen-for-hire" accounts proliferate on Turkish social media, fueling violence
A surge in illegal firearms and the emergence of "hitmen-for-hire" accounts on social media are exacerbating violence in Turkey, with prices for murder ranging from 1.5 to 6 million Turkish Lira, according to a Milliyet investigation.
- How prevalent is illegal firearm access in Turkey, and what role does it play in the rise of violence?
- Experts estimate over 25 million unlicensed firearms are in circulation in Turkey. Easy access to these weapons, readily available through online platforms and social media, is a significant factor in the increasing number of murders and violent crimes.
- What is the nature of the "hitmen-for-hire" phenomenon on social media, and what are the associated costs?
- Social media platforms facilitate the hiring of hitmen, with prices varying widely depending on the nature of the request. One account, "Batux," advertised murder services for 4 million TL, while another offered leg-shooting for 250,000 TL, illustrating a market with fluctuating prices and varying levels of risk.
- What are the broader societal implications of this combination of readily available firearms and accessible hitmen services in Turkey?
- The convergence of widespread illegal firearms and the ease with which hitmen can be hired via social media creates a climate of fear and impunity, exacerbating existing social problems and eroding public trust in security forces. The lack of effective regulation and enforcement only intensifies these concerns.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the issue of illegal firearms in Turkey as a serious and escalating problem, emphasizing the ease of access to weapons and the rise of online hitmen. The use of statistics about the number of unlicensed firearms (25 million) immediately establishes a sense of urgency and scale. The inclusion of a detailed conversation with individuals offering assassination services further underscores the severity of the situation. However, the article's framing might unintentionally neglect other contributing factors to violence or potential solutions beyond stricter gun control.
Language Bias
While the article uses fairly neutral language to describe the situation, the inclusion of the detailed conversations with the hitmen adds a dramatic and alarming tone. The descriptions of violence ('sürünsün' meaning 'to crawl' implying a prolonged and painful injury) are emotionally charged and could potentially sensationalize the issue. While such detail is informative, it could also contribute to fear-mongering.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the illegal firearms trade and online hitmen, but omits discussion of other potential causes of violence in Turkey, such as socioeconomic factors, political instability, or cultural influences. The lack of information on government efforts to address the issue (or their ineffectiveness) is also a notable omission. While the scope of the article might limit this, including alternative perspectives would have provided a more balanced and complete picture.
False Dichotomy
The article doesn't explicitly present a false dichotomy, but its strong focus on illegal firearms and hitmen might implicitly suggest that these are the sole or primary drivers of violence in Turkey, overlooking other complex factors at play. The implied solution may seem to be solely focusing on gun control, ignoring other approaches.
Gender Bias
The article uses neutral language regarding gender, but the example conversation features a female journalist interacting with the hitmen. This could be coincidental, but the gender of the journalist isn't relevant to the story and might be omitted in future reporting for better neutrality.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights a significant rise in illegal firearms and the emergence of online hitmen, directly undermining peace, justice, and the rule of law. The easy accessibility of weapons and the prevalence of online platforms facilitating murder-for-hire severely threaten public safety and institutional capacity to maintain order. This poses a direct challenge to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), specifically targets 16.1 (reduce all forms of violence and related death rates), and 16.4 (significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows).