DW launches new docuseries 'Guardians of Truth'

Turkish journalist Can Dündar, who was arrested in 2015 for reporting on Turkey's arms shipments to Syria, meets Mexican journalist Anabel Hernández, who for many years has been writing about the connection between the government and the drug cartels in Mexico. The film is due to premiere on May 3, World Press Freedom Day.

Forced into exile, Dündar, former editor-in-chief of Turkey's Cumhuriyet newspaper, moved to Germany in 2016 and Hernández to southern Europe in 2017. However, Hernández, amid tight security, routinely returns to Mexico for research. For the film, Can Dündar accompanies her on one of her trips, meets people close to her and asks the crucial question: why does she repeatedly put her life on the line for her work.

For the series "Guardians of Truth," Can Dündar meets exiles and dissidents around the world to talk about the fate he himself shares with them. The films feature impressive biographies of people who have fearlessly stood up for free speech.

Watch "Guardians of Truth"here.

Can Dündar: "We live in a time when freedoms are under threat all over the world. And fortunately, there are also brave people all over the world who defend those freedoms. It's a privilege to meet some of them in this documentary series." 

DW Director General Peter Limbourg: "DW journalists around the world also face restrictions on their journalistic freedom – and the situation has been deteriorating in many countries. We stand in solidarity with courageous colleagues like Anabel Hernández and Can Dündar and with this series draw attention to the importance of quality journalism committed to the truth."

Linda Vierecke, who co-directed "Guardians of Truth": "While filming in Mexico, where our protagonist had to be constantly accompanied by bodyguards, we became very aware of the price of courage people like Anabel Hernández and Can Dündar have to pay. Working in one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists was a special challenge."

Can Dündar and Anabel Hernández

In 2015, Turkish journalist Can Dündar uncovered illegal arms shipments from Turkey to Syria, was labeled a terrorist by Turkish President Erdoğan and fled to Germany after an attempt was made on his life during his trial. Since then, he has been a tireless campaigner for free speech.

Mexican investigative journalist and author Anabel Hernández received the DW Freedom of Speech Award 2019 for her investigative reporting on corruption and collusion between government officials and drug cartels in her home country. Her 2010 book "Los Señores del Narco" (Narcoland) documented these illicit ties and brought Hernández international recognition, as did her 2016 exposé "La verdadera noche de Iguala. La historia que el gobierno trató de ocultar" (A Massacre in Mexico) about the kidnapping and murder of 43 students in Mexico in 2014. Hernández, who was forced to leave her home country after harassment and death threats, now lives in southern Europe and is a regular contributor to DW Español.

The current 2021 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders ranks Mexico 143rd and Turkey 153rd in the index's 180 countries.

"Guardians of Truth - Can Dündar meets Anabel Hernández"
TV broadcast hours
DW English 03.05.2022 - 02:03 UTC
DW German 03.05.2022 - 11:30 UTC
DW Español 03.05.2022 - 16:03 UTC
DW Arabic 03.05.2022 - 16:03 UTC

Available on DW Documentary's YouTube channels in six languages (German, English, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi and Turkish) starting May 3, 2022.