Reporter beaten badly that criticised Erdogan

The columnist of the Yenicag newspaper, Yavuz Selim Demirag, was attacked by five people outside his house, and was then taken to hospital for injuries throughout his body.

The attackers are said to have fled in a car and have not been arrested.

Although the motives or insistents of the attack are still unknown, this comes at a time when tensions have increased following the decision to cancel the election results for the city of Istanbul.

Even though the election commission last month formalised that the CHP party with candidate Ekrem Imamoglu won in the March 31st elections, defeating Erdogan's party candidate, Binali Yildrim, the decision was returned last week by the government that cited the irregularities.

A new vote is expected to take place on June 23rd.

The attack on journalism comes at a time when press freedom in Turkey is at its lowest point.

“Politicians have problems supporting the idea of media freedom and expression. They turn newspapers and journalists into targets, and thus play a major role in these” attacks, the Turkish Journalists' Association says in an official response.

Turkey has mostly imprisoned journalists in the world. At least 68 journalists have been detained on charges linked to their work.

Demirag's condition is reportedly stable and is expected to leave the hospital very well.