Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: January 21, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

The fifth hearing of the case against journalist Hazal Ocak was held today. The court postponed the trial for the verdict on January 26, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the attempts to harass journalists by constantly postponing the cases. We demand all journalists’ acquittal from the court verdict will be held on January 26.

A lawsuit was filed against Hazal Ocak and the president of Cumhuriyet Foundation, Alev Coşkun, in October 2019 on behalf Cengiz Holdings over allegations of defamation. The lawsuit was in retaliation to Hazal’s article in Cumhuriyet Newspaper titled "Luxury fixture with a view of the Bosphorus", which revealed an illegal construction project of Cengiz Holding and its chairman Mehmet Cengiz. Hazal and Alev face a fine of 1 million Turkish Liras for reputational damage. The fifth hearing of the case against journalists was held today at İstanbul’s 14th Anadolu Civil Court of First Instance. The court postponed the hearing for the verdict on January 26, 2021.

Cengiz Holding’s chairman Mehmet Cengiz sued for requesting compensation over journalist Hazal Ocak’s article, claiming the news story was inaccurate and his reputation was tarnished.

This is not the first trial Hazal has encountered for her work. The journalist faced at least three different charges for the articles she wrote in the Cumhuriyet newspaper, though she was acquitted from the charge of ‘insulting state officials’ on October 27, 2020. Even though the CFWIJ welcomed this decision, we demand acquittal verdicts to all women journalists.

Since the beginning of 2021, we have already documented seven cases of legal harassment against women journalists in Turkey. We believe these compensation cases are being used as a new tactic to intimidate journalists. Therefore, we call on Turkish authorities to intervene and put an end to such acts that jeopardize the freedom of expression in Turkey.

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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.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.