Turkey: 7 Women Journalists Detained - Violence Against Journalists Escalates Ahead of Elections
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: May 1, 2023Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
On April 29, police beat and detain journalists Eylem Nazlier, Esra Soybir, Serpil Unal, Zeynep Kuray, Pinar Gayip, and Yadigar Aygun while protesting the mass detentions of journalists in Diyarbakir.
The journalists were released after giving statements. However, Nazlier had to be taken to the hospital after being struck in the head and ear.
Eylem Nazlier, who described her experience of violence on Twitter, said that they were subjected to physical violence in the police vehicle.
Uzun saçlı polisi gözaltı aracında görmeliydiniz. Ama göremezsiniz çünkü aracın kapısını kapattı. Arkadaşımı darp ederken araya girmeye çalıştım diye şiddetini bana yöneltti. Gazetecilik suç değil dediğimiz için darp edildik biz. Yaptıklarının bedelini ödemeliler, yargılanarak… https://t.co/gi5rnhsbnT
— Eylem Nazlıer (@eylemnazlier) April 30, 2023
The brutal violations against journalists in Turkey show no sign of quieting down.
A day earlier, on April 30, Nadiye Gurbuz, a reporter for ETHA, was detained during a police raid in Istanbul.
CFWIJ condemns this brutal violence against journalists in the lead-up to the elections. We call on mainstream media and all press organizations to speak out against this violence. Legal action must be taken immediately against police officers who use violence against journalists.
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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