Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: Demecber 7, 2020

Available in: 🇹🇷  Türkçe

Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform (MKGP) member and journalist Kesire Önel, whose house was raided, was arrested on October 26 as part of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) investigation. After six days in detention, Kesire has been released conditionally. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) welcomes the journalist’s release and calls on the authorities to release all imprisoned journalists.

18 people, including Şişli Deputy Mayor Cihan Yavuz and journalist Kesire Önel, were detained during the house raids in Istanbul on November 26. Kesire was taken to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan after the police proceedings. The journalist was released conditionally, following the prosecutor’s interrogation. She is facing charges of being affiliated with a terrorist organization.

Two days before Kesire’s arrest, Jin News Kurdish editor and Kurdish Pen member Roza Metina was released conditionally following her arrest linked to the same DTK investigation. CFWIJ is aware of the systematic repression against the Kurdish media in Turkey. The ongoing problem of legal harassment against the journalists has been raised before, yet continues to escalate.

On November 24, following Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Dindar Karataş’ arrest, MA’s Van Office was raided by the police. Upon the request of the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Van 1st Criminal Court of Peace ordered a search of the journalist’s home and the agency’s office. Jin News correspondents Dilan Babat, Hikmet Tunç, Esra Önver, Rabia Önver, Aynur Aslan and MA reporters Özlem Yayan and Melek Şahin were present at the time of the search. Following the search, the police seized multiple hard drives, laptops and computers belonging to MA. Dindar has yet to be released from police custody.

CFWIJ is deeply concerned about the rising intimidation of journalists in Turkey. We consider these arbitrary interventions as threats to press freedom that must be addressed. We appeal to the Turkish authorities to respect the freedom of the press and end their discriminatory practices against journalists. We demand the immediate release of all the journalists wrongfully imprisoned.

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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.

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