Turkey: Journalist Rojin Altay Acquitted Over Charges Of Participating In Banned Demonstration
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: May 11, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Istanbul court acquitted journalist Rojin Altay over the charges of participating in a banned demonstration. The journalist was briefly detained during a demonstration she reported in 2021 and a lawsuit was subsequently filed against her. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) welcomes the verdict, however, we demand that Turkish authorities end legal harassment against journalists for doing their job.
Journalist Rojin Altay was briefly detained during the police intervention while following the press briefing on the establishment of the United Struggle Forces (BMG) in Istanbul on February 4, 2021. She was obstructed and physically assaulted by the police force. By the time she arrived at the police station, she was illegally exposed to a strip search during her detention, despite her warnings to police officers that she was due for her menstrual period. The journalist was released after giving her statement. Following the events, a lawsuit was filed against Rojin for participating in a banned demonstration.
In the case before the İstanbul Anatolian 1st, Juvenile Court issued an arrest warrant for the journalist, which was lifted after her defense was submitted to the court.
In the hearing on May 11, the journalist and her lawyers did not attend the court. The lawyers of the other defendants objected to the accusations and demanded acquittal. The counsels of the journalist, Sercan Korkmaz and Özcan Kılıç, also requested the acquittal of Rojin with the letter of application submitted to the court.
The court stated that there was no determination that neither the journalist nor the other two defendants had participated in the protest and that even if they did, these actions were within the scope of the right to disseminate the idea, to hold meetings and demonstrations regulated in the constitution. The court gave a verdict of acquittal for all the defendants.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the court's verdict. We urge the Turkish authorities to end legal harassment against journalists. Undoubtedly, the decision about Rojin Altay should set a precedent for other journalists who are prosecuted. Journalism is not a crime.
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.
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