Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: March 11, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

The fourth hearing of the trial against journalist Seyhan Avşar was held today in İstanbul. Seyhan was tried for “identifying a public officer as a target for terrorist organizations”. The prosecutor requested the court authority to punish the journalist on terror charges. The next hearing was postponed to 16 March 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the legal persecution against journalists who reveal the facts. We demand Seyhan’s acquittal immediately.

The trial against Cumhuriyet Newspaper’s court reporter Seyhan Avşar was held today at the Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court. The prosecutor demanded the journalist be punished for “identifying a public officer as a target for terrorist organizations''. The court gave additional time for defence and statements against the merits. The next hearing was postponed to March 16, 2021.

The Cumhuriyet reporter published a news story in March 2019 titled 'Sözcü prosecutor has a criminal record'. It looked at the case of a prosecutor who was sentenced to 10 months in imprisonment and given a penalty fine due to malfeasance.

After her news story was published, The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against her. She faces up to three years sentence in prison over charges of “identifying a public officer as a target for terrorist organizations” if convicted. However, her real crime was simply writing a story about a prosecutor with a criminal record.

Seyhan Avşar spoke at the first hearing on January 9, 2020, said that her news story was within the limits of press freedom. Her only aim was to inform the public about the case of the corrupt prosecutor who was convicted and sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment and given a penalty. The subject of her story had been found to misuse his position and was involved in “major sexual abuse of a child.” Stressing that she was targeted by a pro-newspaper newspaper in her defence, the journalist denied the accusations against her.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented nearly 40 women journalists in Turkey who face legal persecution since the beginning of 2021. The journalists are constantly being prosecuted with unjust accusations. The hearings of the cases are constantly postponed on arbitrary excuses. We consider that these initiatives against journalists are implemented within the scope of intimidation and silencing policies. We call once again the Turkish state to respect press freedom and dismiss all lawsuits against journalists. 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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