Turkey: CFWIJ Demands Acquittal Of Journalist Reyhan Çapan
Location: Turkey, İstanbul
Date: January 27, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The fourth hearing of the trial against Eren Keskin, chief editor of shut Özgür Gündem newspaper and editor-in-chief Reyhan Çapan was held today in İstanbul. The court adjourned the hearing to March 24, 2022, and ruled the defendants to be present at the next hearing. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the legal harassment against women journalists for doing their job. Journalists are committed to writing the truth with the awareness of their duties. Their prosecution is unacceptable. We demand Turkish authorities to drop all charges against them.
The fourth hearing of the trial against Reyhan and Eren was held in İstanbul’s Second Criminal Court of First Instance. Reyhan and Eren’s lawyer Sercan Korkmaz represented them in the court today. Lawyer and human rights defender Eren Keskin and Reyhan Çapan are tried over the reports published in the shuttered Özgür Gündem newspaper. The news outlet reported, 15 years-old Berkin Elvan died as a result of a tear gas canister thrown by a police officer on June 16, 2013, during the Taksim Gezi Park Protest. After Berkin’s death, an investigation was conducted into the murder and is still pending conviction.
Today’s hearing lawyer Sercan Korkmaz defended that the elements of the crime against journalists did not occur. According to the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Korkmaz presented a decision of the Supreme Court on January 12, 2016, regarding the crime, and stated that the decision refuted the accusations against journalists. He said Berkin was known in Turkey and became a public figüre after his death. He emphasized that the reports about Berkin did not have any negative consequences for him because of his age. Korkmaz requested the journalists’ acquittal from the court committee.
The court adjourned the hearing to 24 March 2022, ruling that invitations should be sent to the next hearing for the defendants to attend.
Reyhan Çapan and Eren Keskin were given a separate fine of 10,461 TL in the lawsuit that was previously filed with the charge of "disclosure of the identity of those who are under the age of 18 and who have been harmed by crime". After the lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court about the court’s decision, the lawsuit of Reyhan and Eren has opened again. Since November 2021, the case has started to be heard again.
The CFWIJ followed the lawsuits filed against journalists with baseless and serious accusations with great concern. Journalists are responsible for reporting developments that interest the public. It is unacceptable for them to be prosecuted for this reason. We demand the Turkish authorities to acquit the 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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