Turkey: Legal Ordeal Continues Against Buse Söğütlü As İstanbul Court Adjourns The Case For The Third Time
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: May 6, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Legal ordeal for Daily Yolculuk reporter Buse Söğütlü along with 35 women continues as the trial was adjourned for the third time. The third hearing of the case against the journalist was adjourned to October 14, 2022. The journalist faces charges for following March 8 International Women’s Day March in 2020. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) demands the immediate acquittal of journalist Buse Söğütlü, who carries out her journalistic activities. Journalism is not a crime.
In 2020, 35 women who participated in the 8 March Feminist Night, including Gazete Yolculuk reporter Buse Söğütlü, were sued for ‘being participants in a prohibited gathering, defying police orders to disband’, “resisting the public duty” and "damaging property". The third hearing of the case was held at the Istanbul 58th Criminal Court of First Instance. The court adjourned the hearing for the third time until October 14, 2022.
While Buse did not attend the trial, the other defendants were present at the hearing on April 28.
At the previous hearing on December 28, 2021, the court ruled arrest warrant for the police officers who were involved in the intervention against demonstrators. At this hearing, the police officers attended the court and gave their statements. They defended that their duty was not to interfere with the crowd. They documented the incident report of the demonstration and followed the crowd. They said that they were collecting information about the banners, and slogans in the women’s march and conveying it to their superiors.
After the statements, the court decided that the public identity of the police officers whose records were written in the incident report be requested from the Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate and added to the file as complainants. In addition, the court adjourned the case until October 14, ruling that seven digital records of the Feminist Night March should be sent to the expert for examination.
Previously the court announced its interim decision, deciding to issue an arrest warrant for the three defendants who did not attend the hearing and to accept the participation of the Finance Treasury for the possibility of being harmed by the women’s march.
The CFWIJ condemns the legal harassment against women journalists for solely doing their job. We demand the Turkish authorities allow journalists to do their work freely and safely. Journalism is not a crime.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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