Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: September 1, 2021

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

Ankara 4th High Criminal Court accepted the indictment from 2019, which was accusing journalist Derya Okatan on the charge of "spreading propaganda for an organization in a chain". If convicted, the journalist will be sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison.

The first hearing of the case will be held on October 13. The Coalition For Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the criminalization of the journalism profession in Turkey. The lawsuits against journalists are aimed at intimidation. We reiterate once again, journalism is not a crime.

The investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against journalist Derya Okatan in 2019 has been completed. The indictment against Derya on the charge of "spreading propaganda for an organization in a chain manner" was accepted by the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court. According to the prosecutor's request, the journalist will be tried with a prison sentence of eight years and nine months. The first hearing of the case will be held on October 13, 2021.

The investigation was initiated as a result of a denunciation of Derya to the Ankara Security Directorate. The news shared on the social media accounts of Etkin News Agency (ETHA), for which she was the responsible editor-in-chief at that time, was considered a criminal element. These accusations include the reports regarding the developments and criticism against the "Operation Olive Branch" launched by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Afrin in 2018.

In the indictment, the prosecutor demands Derya be sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison for "making propaganda for an organization in a chain manner".

The journalist was detained in Ankara on February 21, 2019, after the police raided her house as part of the investigation. Derya, who was detained after an interview with university student Merve Demirel, was harassed by a police officer during a demonstration in Ankara on February 16, 2019. Derya was released the same day after her statement was taken.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the lawsuit filed against Derya Okatan for her journalistic coverages. Journalism has a fundamental duty to inform the public. We remind the Turkish judiciary that journalism is not a crime, and demand an immediate acquittal of the journalist. We hope the opinion of the prosecutor in the last hearing of Derya Okatan, who has been tried before because of her profession, will set a precedent for this case as well.

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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