Turkey: CFWIJ Welcomes Lifted House Arrest Against Journalist Pinar Gayip
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: May 20, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The house arrest against Pınar Gayıp, a reporter for the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), was lifted on May 18. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) welcomes the decision. We demand Turkish authorities to release and acquit all journalists who have been sued, under house arrest or imprisoned over their coverage. Journalism is not a crime.
ETHA reporter Pınar Gayıp 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 Gayıp and her news agency ETHA are accused of spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization. After three days of detention, Pınar was released with a house arrest.
In the investigation initiated by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the journalist Gayıp and the news outlet ETHA were accused of "spreading terrorist propaganda", and the case-file on the journalist was found inadequate. The file was transferred to Istanbul and requested to be combined with another trial at the 26th High Criminal Court.
Ordering that the latest investigation against the journalist contained repeated charges according to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and the lawsuit was dismissed. The dismissal led to the lifted house arrest of Pınar.
Speaking to the CFWIJ, earlier 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.
Pınar was arrested and remained behind bars previously in 2018. Her colleague Semiha Şahin and Pınar were detained on April 13, 2018. The next day, they were arrested by the Prosecutor's Office. Both journalists were charged with being affiliated with a terrorist organization. However, Semiha had an additional charge for spreading propaganda for a terrorist organisation. The two were released by the courts into house arrest on June 15, 2019. At their eighth hearing of the case, the journalists had their house arrests lifted by the court. The trial is still pending.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the house arrest ruling against Pınar Gayıp. However, we demand fair decisions about all journalists who are constantly dragged into the courthouse due to the trials. Since the beginning of 2021, Turkey has been the country with the highest number of journalists who have been legally harassed by the judiciary. It is unacceptable for journalists to face unfair accusations based on the coverage they write or their social media posts. Journalists are obliged to reveal the truth. We reiterate that journalism is not a crime.
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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