Location: Turkey, Diyarbakir
Date: August 13, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

Jin News reporter Beritan Canözer was detained this morning after the police raided her home. Reportedly, the journalist was detained on charges of "spreading terrorist propaganda" and "acting on behalf of a terrorist organization". The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the systematic repression policies against journalists aiming to intimidate them. Journalist Beritan Canözer must be released immediately. Journalism is not a crime.

As part of the investigation of the Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, police raids were carried out in many cities this morning. 59 people, including JinNews reporter Beritan Canözeri, were detained on charges of "spreading terrorist propaganda" and "acting on behalf of a terrorist organization". According to the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Beritan was taken to Diyarbakır Police Departure after her house was searched.

Beritan Canözer, who is consistently targeted by the Turkish state, is a journalist based in southeast Turkey. She was legally persecuted many times nearly over the last decade.

On June 28, 2019, Beritan was detained due to covering a protest in 2015. She was first jailed under the accusation that she was a member of a terror organization and was acting under the instructions of senior executives of the organization on December 19, 2015. The second hearing of the case took place on June 26, 2019, in Diyarbakır. The prosecutor asked that she be sentenced to seven-and-a-half to fifteen years in prison. The decision was postponed to October 2019. However, she was acquitted later by the court.

In 2020, another lawsuit was filed against Beritan about her social media posts. The prosecution requested a prison sentence against Beritan for “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization” on social media. In the third hearing of the case against her, the court ruled one year, ten months and 15 days sentence in prison.

The journalist was also detained during the house raids on April 5 this year and was released after four days. Beritan Canözer and 21 women, who were taken to custody, were threatened by the police. Reportedly, one of the detainees wanted to leave the door open, where they were kept, due to a health problem. Detainees including Beritan were also faced with major problems of basic needs.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the systematic pressure and policies used to intimidate journalists. We reiterate that journalism is not a crime and demand the immediate release of Beritan Canözer.

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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