Türkiye: Two Women Journalists Detained By Authorities In Separate Incidents
Zeynep Kuray detained while reporting protest, İlknur Bilir taken into custody by airport police.
Location: Türkiye
Date: September 15, 2023**Updated on September 16, 2023.
The detentions of journalists Zeynep Kuray and İlknur Bilir in Türkiye have raised concerns about growing restrictions on media professionals in the country. This year alone, 17 women journalists have been detained by the authorities. The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges Turkish authorities to respect press freedom and halt arbitrary detention of journalists.
On September 15, journalists Zeynep Kuray and Berkcan Zengin were detained by police while covering a protest in Bergama, İzmir. The demonstration was held by workers at Agrobay Greenhouse who were fired and denied their wages for joining a union.
Kuray and Zengin were released after spending a night in custody.
Zeynep Kuray has faced police interference in her work multiple times. Earlier this year, she was beaten and detained by police before the elections, and in August 2022, she was detained while covering another workers' protest. The incidents highlight challenges journalists in the country face in carrying out their work freely and without fear of reprisal.
Journalists Zeynep Kuray and Berkcan Zengin at police station, September 15, 2023
In a separate incident, journalist İlknur Bilir, who resides in Germany, was detained at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Istanbul upon her arrival on September 15. Bilir's passport was confiscated, and she was taken to the airport police station. After providing a statement to the prosecutor, she was eventually released.
Bilir is under investigation for her social media posts about the aftermath of the February 6 earthquakes and has been charged with "disseminating misleading information to the public" under the controversial disinformation law. This law has faced criticism for its potential infringement on freedom of expression and its vague language that could be misused for political purposes.
Last week, Artı TV presenter Onur Öncü faced a similar accusation for sharing information about alleged election irregularities on Twitter.
The disinformation law, introduced by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has received significant backlash from journalists, lawyers, and academics. Despite intense debates in parliament, the Turkish Grand National Assembly passed the law which came into effect in October 2022.
Since the law passed, CFWIJ has documented numerous cases of women journalists in Türkiye who have been harassed by authorities, some even sentenced, for posts they shared on social media.
The recent detentions of Zeynep Kuray and İlknur Bilir underscore the need for urgent reforms in Türkiye to safeguard the essential role of a free press in society. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands authorities stop using the vaguely defined disinformation law to target critical journalists and immediately cease detaining media workers.
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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