Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: May 13, 2019

Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe

On Friday May 10th, the CFWIJ obtained information that the Turkish police detained journalists Zeynep Kuray and Irfan Tunccelik while they were covering protests in Istanbul.

The two journalists were following protests in solidarity with ongoing hunger associated with the isolation of Öcalan.

According to DİSK Basın, the Turkish union for media in turkey: “Friday, our colleagues Zeynep Kuray and İrfan Tunçbilek were taken under custody while following the protest of women whose sons are at hunger strike in prison. They were accused of “making propaganda of a terrorist organization” (TPC 220/8), “praising offense and offender” (TPC 215) and “violating the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations”.

“They were taken to the Istanbul Police Headquarters at Vatan str. and they have been under custody since Friday evening.” DİSK Basın’s statement confirmed.

Zeynep is one of the very few women photojournalists working for national media in Turkey.

Zeynep’s lawyer Tamer Doğan said that Kuray was mistreated by police officers during her arrest. Doğan confirmed to CFWIJ that it is expected that Zeynep will be sent to the prosecutor’s office later today after a medical exam.

”The union stated that they believe these incidents are the first wave of the intensified oppression against media, especially after the local elections. Of course this is a follow-up on the previous purge that journalists and activists from the opposition have faced in the country, and concerned stakeholders are worried this kind censorship would hurt Turkish democracy.

The CFWIJ condemns the latest events in Turkey where women journalists are silenced by unprecedented threats and imprisonments and wants to urge authorities to release Zeynep who was arrested for simply doing her job.

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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.

Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org

The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.

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