Turkey: Journalism Is Prosecuted Once Again – CFWIJ Condemns The Unjust Trial Against Journalist Buse Söğütlü
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: June 29, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The first hearing against 35 people, including reporter Buse Söğütlü, was held in İstanbul. The journalist faces accusations for participating on March 8, International Women’s Day march in 2020. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) urges the authorities once again that journalism is not a crime. We demand Buse’s acquittal immediately.
In 2020, 35 people who participated in the 8 March Feminist Night, including Gazete Yolculuk reporter Buse Söğütlü, were sued for ‘being participants in a prohibited gathering, defying police orders to disband’, “resisting the police officers” and "damaging property". The first hearing of the case was held at the Istanbul 58th Criminal Court of First Instance. The court adjourned the hearing to December 29, deciding to accept the demands of the defendants who had requested to be excluded from the hearings.
In her defence, Buse said, “I am a journalist. I attended the march firstly as a journalist and secondly as a woman”. The journalist also reminded the court that Home Secretary Süleyman Soylu banned the protest a few days ago. "I have a picture of mine holding my press card on my neck, that is my proof" she added to her defence. She also underlined that she is very familiar with impunity crimes against women because of her profession.
The journalist also conveyed her detention to the court during the march, stated that a riot police officer threw her shoulder after taking a picture of a woman being detained by force. Buse also included that many police officers deliberately damaged her glasses by the time of her detention.
Buse did not accept the accusations against her. She said, “The police aimed to impede my profession. It cannot be a crime to participate in the demonstration or to protect yourself against the attack there.”
Buse Söğütlü: The Trials are A Part Of The Effort Silencing Women In This Country
Speaking to CFWIJ about her experiences, Buse Söğütlü said, “In the middle of Istanbul, on March 8, women were battered and targeted and ironically they are still prosecuted. We are facing charges of "unlawful demonstration", "damaging property" and "resisting the police". “I think this trial brought against us is part of the effort to silence women in this country,” she added.
Emphasizing that the last case against her cannot be separated from the situation of women who were subjected to domestic violence during the pandemic outbreak and the termination of the Istanbul Convention, the journalist quoted, “As a female journalist trying to do her job in Turkey, to the attacks, harassment and swearing that evening undouble I faced this prosecution process.”
Buse Söğütlü was also prosecuted as a result of the investigation conducted against her for a Twitter post where she criticized Akın Gürlek, the head of the Istanbul 37th High Criminal Court at the time. A prison sentence of up to 13 years was demanded against the journalist. She is allegedly facing charges of "targeting those who took part in counter-terrorism".
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the trials taking a part of journalists' lives solely because of doing their job. As the coalition, we remind the Turkish authorities once again; Journalists must do their jobs freely, and their profession should never be considered 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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