Turkey: CFWIJ Demands Journalist Hatice Şahin’s Acquittal
Location: Turkey, Diyarbakir
Date: January 20, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The first hearing of the trial against Yeni Yaşam Newspaper editor Hatice Şahin on charges of being affiliated with an armed organization was held today at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court. The court requested all witnesses be heard. Hatice and her lawyer were given ten days to present the questions to the court to be asked to the anonymous witnesses mentioned in the indictment. The next hearing will be held on March 24, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the lawsuit filed against the journalist. We demand the court to acquit the journalist immediately.
An investigation was launched against Yeni Yaşam Journalist editor Hatice Şahin by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on October 9, 2018, and police raided Hatice's home on October 18, 2018. She was detained after the raid as part of the investigation. As a result of the bust in Şahin's home, the police seized her belongings and electronic devices. The journalist was released a day after her detention.
In the indictment, which was completed on October 23, 2020, Hatice was accused of having participated in organizational actions within the scope of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) work. The journalist's travels between Istanbul and Diyarbakır between September and December 2017 were listed and being a member of the Free Women Congress Association was cited as evidence for the terror charges.
The statement of anonymous witness against the journalist alleged that she attended illegal meetings in which some other journalists were also included. Another witness also claimed the journalist was the spokesperson of the media outlets related to the Union of Communities of Kurdistan (KCK).
Hatice Şahin faces up to 15 years sentence in prison with the charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization. The first hearing of the case against her was held today at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court. The court requested to hear all witnesses. Hatice Şahin and her lawyer were given ten days to submit questions they wanted to ask anonymous witnesses. Next hearing will be held on March 24, 2021.
Hatice Şahin is not the first journalist to be tried for the scope of DTK. The trial against Ayşegül Doğan, host of the Gündem Müzakere program on the now shutdown IMC TV news channel, was also tried on the grounds of meetings, interviews, and activities she participated in with the DTK executives, within the scope of her journalistic coverage. The court sentenced journalist Ayşegül to six years in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist organization. The court also stated that a travel ban will be imposed on the journalist until the conviction is finalized.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the continuous prosecution against journalists for their journalistic coverages. We believe these attempts are aiming to silence journalists and cast a shadow on the free press. We demand environments where journalists can write freely without being threatened by legal harassment. We reiterate that once again journalism is not a crime.
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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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