Location: Turkey
Date: July 28, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

The CFWIJ recognizes police violence in Turkey as one of the most urgent issues. Our monitoring and research in the last two years has shown a consistent rise in physical police violence against journalists covering various issues in the country, and particularly a rise in violence against women journalists.

We demand an end to the systematic police violence that deliberately targets journalists in Turkey. In a country that claims to respect and protect democracy and the free press, journalists must be able to do their job without feeling threatened.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) continues to follow the direct targeting of journalists and the disproportionate use of force against women journalists who follow events in the country. We consider the latest events quite alarming and we are deeply concerned about the physical assaults women journalists have suffered.

Since the beginning of 2021, CFWIJ has recorded at least 44 women journalists subjected to police violence in Turkey. Three women journalists' had their houses raided and were detained for their journalistic activities. At least 13 female reporters were detained while following events in the field. Many of them were exposed to verbal harassment by the police at the same time as those cases.

The latest incident, which took place on the first day of the sacrificial Eid on July 20, 2021, proved the escalating police brutality in the country. Journalists following the commemoration for those killed in the Suruç Massacre were not only besieged by the police, but also faced severe physical violence that amounted to injury. CFWIJ took immediate action and recorded at least eight women journalists who were physically assaulted by the police force.

As seen in other years, women journalists face police violence almost every day in Turkey. In comparison to the cases we recorded in 2020, violence against women journalists has sharply increased by 170.14% this year.

In 2021, Evrensel Newspaper’s Ayşen Şahin was among the journalists whose house was raided and detained for following the student protests at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. Another one was Pınar Gayıp. The reason behind her detention was working for the opposition news outlet Etkin News Agency (ETHA). Jinnews reporter Beritan Canözer remained in custody for four days because of her journalistic coverage. 

The safety of women journalists is currently under threat. Women journalists were not only subject to the disproportionate force of the police in the field, but they were also detained. The outlet cards of most women journalists were not accepted as press ID because they were not approved by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications. With this pretext, the police intervened in the field, and the journalists were easily detained.

With the directive initiated by the General Directorate of Security (EGM) on April 27, 2021, it became nearly impossible for journalists to do their job. It paved the way for the direct intervention of journalists filming and the social movements they followed.

Women journalists no longer feel safe in the field, the places they work, or their homes. Being beaten by the police, unwarranted raids, verbal and physical harassment, the possibility of damaged equipment, and widespread detentions make it exceedingly difficult for journalists to do their job. 

CFWIJ invites everyone to join our campaign to raise awareness about this issue and to help us support women journalists. Join us in saying enough is enough to the police violence that is instigated by what we observe to be state oppression and extends into the justice system of the country. While we demand women journalists be free and safe, we would like to invite everyone to support women journalists and sign the petition to create social awareness with the hashtag #WeAreNotSafe.

Signatories:

1. Kiran Nazish, Founding Director at CFWIJ

2. Damla Tarhan, Operations Manager at CFWIJ

3. Ceren İskit, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ

4. Aimun Faisal, Research Coordinator at CFWIJ

5. Ayesha Khalid, Researcher at CFWIJ

6. Ali Şeker, Member of Parliament

7. Erol Katırcıoğlu, Member of Parliament

8. Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Member of Parliament

9. Oya Ersoy, Member of Parliament

10. Saliha Sera Kadıgil Sütlü, Member of Parliament

11. Tülay Hatimoğulları Oruç, Member of Parliament

12. Turan Aydogan, Member of Parliament

13. Utku Çakırözer, Member of Parliament

14. Zeynel Özen, Member of Parliament

15. Serpil Kemalbay, Politician, Former HDP Co-Chair

16. Progressive Journalists Association (PJA)

17. DİSK Basın-İş

18. Erol Önderoğlu, RSF (Reporters Without Borders)

19. Gülfem Karataş, Member of TGS Women and LGBTI+ Commission

20. Özgür Öğret, Committee to Protect Journalists

21. Sanar Yurdatapan, IFoX / Initiative for Freedom of Expression

22. Adnan Bilen, Journalist

23. Ahmet Dilekçi, Retired Journalist

24. Ayşegül Kaplan, Journalist, Kozmopolitik

25. Ayşegül Özbek, Journalist, Bianet

26. Ayşen Şahin, Journalist, Evrensel Newspaper

27. Ayşenur Arslan, Journalist, Halk TV

28. Bahattin Seçil, Journalist, Newspaper Patika

29. Banu Güven, Journalist

30. Berna Kishin, Journalist, Mesopotamia Agency

31. Buse Söğütlü, Journalist, Gazete Yolculuk

32. Büşra Taşkıran, Journalist

33. Can Dündar, Journalist

34. Canan Kaya, Journalist, Medya Koridoru

35. Candan Yildiz, Journalist

36. Ceylan Bulut, Journalist, Sendika.Org

37. Ceylan Şahinli, Journalist, Mesopotamia Agency

38. Çağlar Tekin, Journalist

39. Demet ARAN, Journalist

40. Derya Saadet, Journalist, Sendika.Org

41. Dilek Atlı, Journalist

42. Dilek Dindar, Journalist

43. Dilek İçten, Journalist, Media and Migration Association

44. Durket Süren, Journalist, Eva Production

45. Elif Cetiner, Journalist, Artı TV

46. Elif Ekin Saltık, Journalist, Evrensel Newspaper

47. Elif Ünal, Journalist, Yeşil Gazete

48. Emre Orman, Journalist

49. Erdinç Ergenç, Journalist, Mergermarket

50. Erdogan Alayumat, Journalist

51. Esra Tokat, Journalist, Dokuz8News

52. Eylem Nazlıer, Journalist, Evrensel Newspaper

53. Fatoş Erdoğan, Journalist, Dokuz8News

54. Filiz Zeyrek, Journalist, Jinnews

55. Füsun Erdoğan, Journalist, Jin TV

56. Gözde Çağrı Özköse, Journalist, Mesopotamia Agency

57. Gülbahar Altaş, Journalist, Independent Turkish Service

58. Habibe Eren, Journalist, Jinnews

59. Hamide Rencüzoğulları, Journalist

60. İrem Afşin, Journalist, Medyascope

61. Izel Sezer, Journalist, İleri Haber

62. Mag Wompel, Journalist, LabourNet Germany

63. Mehveş Evin, Journalist, Kısa Dalga

64. Melike Aydın, Journalist, Jinnews

65. Melis Alphan, Journalist

66. Monia Minnucci, Journalist, Cittadina Italiana

67. Murat İnceoğlu, Journalist, Gazete Duvar

68. Musa Özuğurlu, Journalist

69. Nazan Özcan, Journalist, Bianet

70. Ogün Akkaya, Journalist

71. Öznur Değer, Journalist, Jinnews

72. Paola Rosà, Journalist, OBC Transeuropa

73. Pervin Yerlikaya, Journalist, Yeni Özgür Politika

74. Pınar Gayıp, Journalist, ETHA

75. Rojin Altay, Journalist, Mesopotamia Agency

76. Roman Dietinger, Journalist, Unsere Zeitung 

77. Ruken Demir, Journalist

78. Seda Balmumcu, Journalist, BirGün Newspaper

79. Seda Taşkın, Journalist, Artı TV

80. Serbeze Haxhiaj, Journalist, RTK

81. Songül Altuntaş, Journalist

82. Sultan Eylem Keleş, Journalist, Artı TV

83. Tim Smith, Journalist, Brandon Sun

84. Tuba Altunkaya, Journalist, Euronews

85. Tuğçe Biçer, Journalist, ANKA News

86. Turgut Dedeoğlu, Cameraman, Artı TV

87. Vedat Örüç, Journalist

88. Yadigar Aygün, Journalist, Gazete Karınca

89. Yağmur Kaya, Journalist, Artı Gerçek

90. Fatma Yörür, Amnesty Turkey

91. Zale Karademir, Journalist

92. Zeynep Erdim, Journalist, BBC

93. Zeynep Kuray, Journalist, BirGün and Fırat News Agency

94. Zülal Koçer, Journalist

95. Zeliha Midilli, Retired Journalist

96. Eren Siverek, Camera Operator, Red Advertisement

97. Sibel Tekin, Documentary Filmmaker - Video Activist

98. Ceren Sözeri, Academician

99. Hakan Koçak, Academician

100. Nilgün Çekin, Academician

101. Özgür Müftüoğlu, Academician

102. Pınar Dağ, Academician

103. Günçe Balçın, Lawyer 

104. Hülya Gülbahar, Lawyer

105. Şenal Sarıhan, Lawyer

106. Ayşegül Göktaş, Teacher

107. Ebru Özkan, Teacher

108. Elif Savaşcı Alparda, Teacher

109. Emre Şolt, Teacher

110. Fatma Deniz, Teacher

111. Hülya Altuğ, Teacher

112. Michael Knapp, Teacher

113. Pelin Erkoç, Teacher

114. Bengül Gölge, Doctor

115. Füsun Düzcan, Doctor

116. Gizem Yavuz, Doctor

117. İlknur Aktaş, Doctor

118. Mine Ergelen, Doctor

119. Tuğba Baş, Doctor

120. Gizem Karan, Vet

121. Gül Gülgönen, Eczacıbaşı Health Services

122. Bülent Atamer, Engineer

123. Derya Kip, Textile Engineer

124. Memet Ali Doruk, Softwre Engineer

125. Erdoğan Aslan, Insurance Sales Person

126. Hicran Altundal, Insurance Sales Person

127. Olcay Yedikızanlı, Insurance Sales Person

128. Gülnur Gümüş Sümer, Banker

129. İsmail Demir, Graphic Designer

130. Seda Çetin, Entrepreneur

131. Burcu Bingöllü, NGO staff

132. Nalan Sönmez, Accountant 

133. Pelin Gümüş, Manager

134. Yeşim Demirasal, Manager

135. Arzu Erten, Student

136. Beyzanur Alanbay, Student

137. Dilek Ergün, Student

138. Hacer Bakır, Student

139. Kerim Küçük, Student

140. Pınar Sungur, Student

141. Birsen Küçüktoy, Retired

142. Neval Dalçık, Retired

143. Serpil Gönüllü, Retired

144. Seval Eser, Retired

145. Şaziye Aydoğan, Retired

146. Özge Elif Salttürk, Housewife

147. Baronchelli Federico

148. Christopher Wilkner

149. Gülten Tekinay

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.