Turkey: CFWIJ Demands Journalists Semiha Şahin And Pinar Gayip’s Acquittal Immediately
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: February 11, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The 12th hearing of the trial against journalists Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayıp was once again postponed to April 15. The two journalists are facing charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organisation and spreading propaganda for a terrorist organisation. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is utterly dismayed by the constant adjournment against journalists to intimidate. We demand Semiha and Pınar’s acquittal immediately.
Journalists Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayıp are being prosecuted on the 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 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 court decided to correct the missing parts in the case file and to wait for the examination reports of the defendants' digital materials on December 23, 2020, and postponed the hearing on February 11. The twelfth hearing of the trial was supposed to be held today whereas, the court postponed it once again due to two different panels of judges that are assigned to 23th High Criminal Court merging into one.
Reporter Pınar Gayıp also was detained on January 14, as a result of a complaint filed by a secret witness. In the investigation initiated by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the journalist Pınar and her news agency ETHA are accused of spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization. Pınar was released after three-day detention conditionally on a house arrest.
Speaking to the CFWIJ, Pınar Gayıp said that the only reason she was detained for working at ETHA as a journalist. "They tried to criminalize both my journalistic skills and the Etkin News Agency," she said.
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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