Location: Turkey, Diyarbakir
Date: February 2, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

Journalist Hatice Kamer was being tried with a sentence of up to seven years on charges of spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization over her journalistic coverages she posted on her social media account six years ago. Hatice was acquitted in the first hearing of the trial which was held in Diyarbakır today. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) welcomes the court decision. We reiterate once again that journalism is not a crime.

Hatice was facing up to seven years sentence in prison for the charges of spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization. The journalist was sued because of the news coverages of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Congress and their statements where she followed and shared on her social media accounts between 2015-2016 in Diyarbakır. In the first hearing of the case held today in Diyarbakır 8th High Criminal Court, Hatice was acquitted.

As a result of the research conducted by the police on the social media accounts of Hatice Kamer, the lawsuit was filed against the journalist two years ago. Thereafter, the local court gave a verdict of acquittal without opening a hearing. However, after the Antep Regional Court of Justice overturned the acquittal decision in terms of the procedural aspect, the case was held again. Journalist Hatice Kamer and her lawyer Pelda Vesek were present at the hearing today.

In her defence, Hatice said that the social media account in question belonged to her and she shared the posts that were shown as criminal elements in the indictment for news purposes. The journalist stated that none of her posts was aiming to spread terrorist propaganda. The journalist refused all the accusations against her and demanded her acquittal from the court.

The court stated that the journalist's social media posts did not praise the methods of an armed organization involving violence and threats, and acquitted Hatice that the posts were not defined as a crime by law.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the criminalization of journalistic elements and the cases brought against journalists on terrorism charges. Informing the public is a fundamental duty for journalists and sharing coverage on their social media accounts are not a crime and cannot be judged. We welcome the verdict of acquittal against journalist Hatice Kamer and demand the same decisions should be given to all journalists on trial. 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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