Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: August 29, 2020

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is thrilled that the EU Awards for Investigative Journalism in Turkey for 2019 was awarded to three women journalists who are prominent in their areas and who stand out with their citizen-based journalism.

The EU award for investigative journalism is awarded through the EU funded project “Strengthening Quality News and Independent Journalism in the Western Balkans and Turkey” in 2019, 2020, 2021 in EU candidate and potential candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey, for investigative stories published in the period between 2018 and 2020. In total, 63 awards will be presented through a three-year period.

The award in Turkey is coordinated by the Association of Journalists, while the regional consortium is led by Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network (BIRN Hub).

The first prize at the ceremony was awarded to Zehra Özdilek from Cumhuriyet with her news piece titled “Zindaşti bomb! Burhan Kuzu said 'I don’t know' him, footage shows him during the dinner with the druglord", while second prize was awarded to Hale Gönültaş from GazeteDuvar for her news piece: “Hadiya Hussein’s struggle with law”. Third place was awarded to DW Türkçe correspondent Burcu Karakaş for her piece titled: “Abortion services in Turkey: Virtually forbidden".

All three pieces that were awarded were concerning crucial socio political issues in Turkey. Zehra’s piece delved deeper into the allegations of ties between the former Minister of Justice and an Iranian drug lord who was released without due process. Hale Gönültaş, who dedicated her award to migrant and especially Ezidi women fleeing from ISIS talked about the story of a young woman who was kidnapped by ISIS and smuggled into Turkey and who has since been battling to get the custody of her younger siblings. Burcu Karakaş’s story about the practical impossibility of free abortion services in Turkey protrays the deterioration of women’s reproductive rights in the country.

During the ceremony all three women journalists dedicated their awards to imprisoned journalists and feminist movement in Turkey.

The Head of the EU Delegation, Ambassador Christian Berger, and many ambassadors and diplomatic representatives attended the ceremony. Journalists Association Vice President, Media Program Director for Democracy and Investigative Journalism Awards Jury Chairman Yusuf Kanlı, during his opening speech said that the fact that there were many applications from all areas of investigative journalism in Turkey gave the opportunity to to attract EU’s attention into how much investigative journalism is needed in the country.”

The Coalition For Women In Journalism wholeheartedly congratulates Zehra Özdilek, Hale Gönültaş and Burcu Karakaş. Women’s involvement in journalism is essential to building a more democratic country with freedom of speech and right to information.

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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.