Turkey: CFWIJ Demands The Turkish State To End Legal Persecution Against Journalists
Location: Turkey, Kars
Date: March 9, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The second hearing of the trial against Democrat-News editor Selda Manduz on the charge of being affiliated with an armed terrorist organization was held today. The court ruled to wait for the review reports of digital materials until the next hearing until April 8, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the pressure exerted on journalists through the judiciary. We demand Selda’s acquittal immediately.
The second hearing of the trial against Democrat-News editor Selda Manduz was held today at Kars 2nd High Criminal Court. Selda faces the charge of being a member of an armed terrorist organization. The court adjourned the trial until April 10, 2021, due to the delay of the review reports of HTS records and digital materials. In the first hearing, the court adjourned the trial by requesting examination reports of those digital materials.
Journalist Seda Manduz was detained in a police raid on her home on October 1, 2020, within the scope of the investigation launched by the Kars Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The journalist was transferred to the prosecutor's office on October 4, 2020, after her four days of detention. After her interrogation at the prosecutor's office, the court decided to release the journalist conditionally.
In the indictment, which was completed after the investigation, secret defendant statements and records of the journalist’s phone calls were indicated as evidence. Also, Selda’s phone calls with her colleagues were cited as a crime in the indictment. It was claimed that Manduz "committed a crime regarding the organic structure of the armed terrorist organization".
The journalist faces up to 15 years sentence in prison over the charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the continuous persecution against journalists over their journalistic coverages. We believe these vicious attempts are aiming to silence journalists and casting a shadow on the free press. We demand and hope for environments where journalists can write freely without being threatened by legal harassment. We reiterate 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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