Turkey: CFWIJ Welcomes The Acquittal Of The Case Against Semiha Alankuş
Location: Turkey, Diyarbakir
Date: June 17, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
We are delighted that journalist Semiha Alankuş has been acquitted after the seventh hearing of her case today.
Yeni Yaşam journalist Alankuş was accused of “being a member of a terrorist organisation”. While Alankuş didn’t attend the hearing before Diyarbakır 9th Heavy Penal Court, her lawyer dismissed the accusations based on “secret witness” statements.
Alankuş was acquitted of the charges by the court, during the hearing that many human rights organisations followed.
We welcome this decision by the Turkish judiciary and hope that similar verdicts will be delivered to all women journalists facing trials. 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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.