Türkiye: Court Dismisses Criminal Complaint Filed By Journalist Hale Gönültaş
Gönültaş went to authorities after receiving threats from Islamist extremist groups
Location: Türkiye, Ankara
Date: June 13, 2023Updated: December 18, 2023
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned about the court's decision to dismiss journalist Hale Gönültaş's criminal complaint regarding threats she received from a radical Islamist group. We strongly urge the authorities to investigate the threats against Gönültaş and ensure her safety thoroughly.
On May 3, 2023, journalist Hale Gönültaş, who has extensively covered ISIS activities, filed a complaint with the authorities after receiving threats following her coverage of an extremist group. Despite providing evidence, including threat messages received via phone, the Ankara prosecutors chose not to pursue the case.
The threats were directly related to a video that Gönültaş reported on in May 2022. The video featured a woman allegedly affiliated with ISIS, threatening those who opposed Sharia while holding a knife. The woman was later detained in a house raid targeting suspected ISIS members.
Gönültaş included statements from suspects in her report, some of which mentioned the radical Islamist group Tevhid (Tawhid) and its leader, Halis Bayancuk. Following the publication of her report, Gönültaş received numerous phone calls accusing her of negatively impacting a "terror" case against Bayancuk. These people threatened her, demanding the removal of the article. Gönültaş also faced threats through various social media accounts.
In response, Gönültaş made the threats public and filed a criminal complaint with Ankara’s prosecutor's office.
On June 13, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office decided there was insufficient evidence to open a criminal case against the suspect for threatening Gönültaş, except for an "abstract allegation." The prosecutor's office only investigated one suspect and concluded the complaint with a two-line non-prosecution decision. The decision did not provide information on whether the phone number she provided or social media accounts that threatened her were investigated. It also did not include the statement of the identified suspect.
On December 18, 2023, the court rejected her appeal against the decision of non-prosecution, leading to the closure of the case.
Hale Gönültaş, who writes for Short Wave, has previously encountered problems for her determined reporting. In January 2023, a police officer filed a complaint against Gönültaş after she reported on the disappearance and rape of a 12-year-old girl. Gönültaş was visited by plainclothes police officers who made threatening statements regarding the complaint against her.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the dismissal of Gönültaş's complaint. Journalists should be able to carry out their work without fear of intimidation or reprisals. We call on the Turkish authorities to take immediate action to ensure the safety and protection of journalists, particularly those reporting on sensitive issues such as terrorism and human rights violations.
We urge the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to reopen the case, investigate Gönültaş's complaint thoroughly, and hold those threatening the journalist to account.
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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