Turkey: Journalist Sibel Hürtaş Detained On The Ground While Covering Lawyers’ Protest
Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: July 4, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Artı TV Ankara correspondent Sibel Hürtaş was detained yesterday while covering the bar association chairs’ protest against the new proposed attorneyship law.
Lawyers from all around the country had gathered in front of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Sibel Hürtaş was among many journalists covering the protest when she was detained on the grounds of “not following the social distancing rules”.
Hürtaş was ill-treated during her detention and was kept in a police car for two hours in the scorching hot weather.
After another 4 hours of interrogation at Kavaklıdere Police Station, Hürtaş was released last night.
Coalition For Women In Journalism deplores the use of pandemic prevention rules to silence free press.
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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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