October 14, 2024 - Turkiye, Istanbul

Pinar Gayip was briefly detained after being summoned to an Istanbul police station on October 14, 2024. She was taken into custody following yet another criminal complaints from lawyer Sezgin Keleş, who has persistently harassed Pınar due to her reporting on his conviction for "simple sexual assault." He accuses her of "attacking personal rights" and "publicly insulting the state." In March, Pınar received a 6-month suspended sentence related to her reporting on Keleş's conviction.

The journalist was released after giving her statement.

Women Press Freedom firmly denounces this misuse of legal complaints to silence journalists. Legal harassment has become a favored tool under the Erdoğan administration, with our data showing it accounts for 29% of all violations against women journalists since 2019.

We stand firmly with Pınar and demand the dropping of all absurd charges against her and an immediate end to this legal persecution.