Turkey: CFWIJ Demands An Immediate Acquittal Of Journalists Semiha Sahin And Pinar Gayip
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: December 23, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The eleventh hearing of the trial against Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor Semiha Şahin and reporter Pınar Gayıp was held yesterday at the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court. The court decided to complete the missing parts in the case file and to wait for the submission of the reports based on the digital materials provided by the journalists. The next hearing will take place on February 11, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) demands the case to be dismissed and that the journalists be acquitted of all of the charges.
Journalists Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayıp are being prosecuted on charges of "being a member of an armed terrorist organization" and "making a chain of propaganda for a terrorist organization". The accusations were formed as a result of social media activity and the fact that they participated in a protest in order to cover it. Semiha and Pınar are facing up to 23 years in prison.
The journalists were initially arrested on April 19, 2018. They were released but remained under house arrest which was then lifted on December 11, 2019. The house arrest measure against Semiha and Pınar was lifted on December 11, 2019. However, the travel ban imposed on them continues.
The defendants did not attend the hearing, but the lawyers were present at the court.
The court decided to correct the missing parts in the case file and to wait for the examination reports of the defendants' digital materials. The next hearing will take place on February 11, 2021.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands the journalists’ acquittal. The ongoing trial is a clear attempt of Turkish authorities to silence journalists through the judiciary system. We believe that presenting their social media posts and coverages as incriminating evidence is predominantly used to intimidate the journalists and discourage them from pursuing their work. We urge authorities to put an end to repressive practices against journalists.
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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.
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