Turkey: CFWIJ Demands End to Constantly Deferred Cases
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: May 25, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The 12th hearing of the trial against Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor İsminaz Temel and reporter Havva Cuştan on terrorism charges was held today. The court ruled to complete the missing elements of the case file and postponed the hearing again. The next hearing will take place on October 12. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) finds the constant postponement aims to intimidate and silence the journalists. We demand İsminaz and Havva's acquittal immediately.
The 12th hearing of the trial in which ETHA editor İsminaz Temel and journalist Havva Cuştan were held today at the Istanbul 27th High Criminal Court. Journalists were sued on the allegation of "being a member of an armed terrorist organization" and "spreading propaganda for the organization". If the court convicted, both journalists will be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Today, the court ruled to complete the missing elements of the case file. Also, the travel bans against journalists remain. The next hearing will be held on October 12, 2021. In the previous hearing, the court ordered to continue to hear the witnesses and decided not to lift the travel ban against journalists.
İsminaz Temel and her co-worker in the ETHA, Havva Cuştan were arrested and imprisoned on October 25, 2017, following a raid on their houses on October 19, 2017. The journalists were charged with “being a member of and propagandizing for the illegal Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP).” citing their journalistic activities, the funerals they attended and the social media posts they shared. The confidential witness statements were also shown as evidence of the crime. Both journalists were released on July 18, 2018, and February 14, 2019, respectively on the condition of application of judicial control mechanisms and travel bans.
Havva faces up to 20 years in prison for being affiliated with an armed terrorist organization and spreading propaganda for an armed terrorist organization. İsminaz, on the other hand, faces up to 15 years in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist organization.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the continual postponement of ongoing cases against journalists. We demand authorities to end the policy of intimidation applied by the judiciary in Turkey. No one should be prosecuted for their journalistic coverage. We reiterate once again journalism is not a crime. We demand the immediate acquittal of both journalists.
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.
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