Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: March 24, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

Third hearing of the trial against Daily Yolculuk reporter (former student journalist at Cumhuriyet) Buse Söğütlü was supposed to be held today in Turkey. However, the court postponed the trial without seeing it to April 14, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns these brutal practices against journalists aiming to intimidate them. We demand Buse’s acquittal immediately.

An investigation was launched against the journalist at Cumhuriyet Newspaper, over her Twitter post criticizing the judge of Istanbul 37th High Criminal Court. The subject matter of the accusation was Buse’s tweet, quoting an article published at Daily Yolculuk, where she works, and saying “If Hitler came out of his grave and (…) sat in his chair, more or less, he would use the same phrases as well. Professional ethics and all aside; one should carry the weight of the chair he is sitting in.” The judge had ordered the lawyers standing before trial “to stop talking to each other or that he would change their seats”.

The journalist, through this post, was claimed to have “put the aforementioned judge in the target of armed terrorist organisation DHKP-C and other marginal leftist organisations”. She is facing up to 13 years sentence in prison over the charges of “identifying officials on anti-terror duties as targets” and “being affiliated with an armed terrorist organisation” if convicted. The case against the journalist was expected to be heard at the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court today, but it was postponed to 14 April 2021 without a hearing.

The journalist took her Twitter criticising the postponed hearing today. She said, “Due to the heavy file load" of the court, the case was postponed to 14 April without a hearing. Meanwhile, two of the three requested reports were on file. Terror Branch said, ‘We have no registration, but write to the security branch.’” “The court also wrote to the security branch and sent the events in which I was detained while following the news, all of which were for democratic acts.” she followed.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is indeed worried about the status of the judiciary in Turkey and stands with Buse Söğütlü’s right to freedom of expression. Each day a new journalist is put to trial for expressing their freedom of speech and performing their professional duties. We call upon the Council of Europe to work with Turkish authorities to ensure the safety (including safety from retaliation) of 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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