Turkey: Ankara Court Adjourned Journalist Sibel Hürtaş’s Case
Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: April 12, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The second hearing of the case against journalist Sibel Hürtaş was held in Ankara. Ankara court subpoenaed the complainants again and adjourned the next hearing until October 27, 2022. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) demands the immediate acquittal of Sibel, who is solely doing her job. Journalism is not a crime.
The second hearing of the case against former Artı TV correspondent, Sibel Hürtaş, on the charge of 'resisting to not fulfill officers’ duty' was held today in Ankara 37th Criminal Court of First Instance.
Sibel was sued for following the bar associations’ protest about a new draft law amending Turkey’s Law on Lawyers at Turkey’s parliament. On July 3, 2020, the journalist was impeded and beaten by the police force. Despite Sibel lodging a criminal complaint against the police forces, who physically assaulted the journalist, the court decided to dismiss the complaint. Additionally, four police officers sued the journalist with the allegation of "preventing public duty". If convicted, Sibel may be sentenced to three years in prison.
Lawyer Sercan Aran represented Sibel Hürtaş today in the courtroom. Complainant Serdar Geygel, a police officer at the Photo and Filming Bureau, claimed that he was warned of Sibel because of violating pandemic rules, but the journalist did not comply with them. He alleged that he was battered by the journalist in the detention vehicle and requested the court to join the case.
Other witness statements were also heard at the hearing. Police officer Ertan Laçin, stated the same request as the other police officer did, to Sibel to follow the pandemic rules, and that they detained her after she did not comply. The officer also added that Sibel was forced into the detention vehicle.
Another witness, journalist Sultan Özer, said that she was also in the area and Sibel wanted to enter the place as a journalist but was prevented by the police. She said Sibel entered, where the protest took place, with a member of a parliament’s car and police followed her afterward. Adding to her words that the journalist was taken into custody by harsh intervention, and Sibel had bruises on her arms after the detention.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands the Turkish authorities immediately acquit journalist Sibel Hürtaş. The journalist cannot be prosecuted solely for doing her job. Oppositely, the journalist was physically assaulted by the security forces, and her right to report was violated. We demand the necessary legal sanctions be applied to law enforcement officers who use violence against the journalist.
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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