Turkey: Semin Sezerer And Diken Editors Are Acquitted Of Charges Against Them Alleging Ties With Terrorist Organisation
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: September 3, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the decision of Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court to drop all charges against Semin Sezerer and Diken.com.tr editors in the “Fuat Avni” trial.
The lawsuit against Semin and others was initiated In August 2019, following the indictment of Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against the news websites Diken, T24 and Sputnik, and the newspaper Birgün, for reporting on the posts by the anonymous Twitter account “Fuat Avni”.
“Fuat Avni” twitter account set the agenda in Turkey leaking information about allegations of corruption by Turkish government officials and their families. “Fuat Avni” account was found to have ties between the “Fethullah Gülen sect” which also leaked phone conversations and operated raids on government official’s families between February 2014 and the notorious coup attempt of July 2016. The Justice and Development party which rules the country in a dictatorship-like style for the past decade had several business ties and on multiple occasions voiced their sympathy towards the Fethullah Gülen sect, until a power struggle sparked tensions which resulted in a despicable coup attempt.
Former managing editor of Diken.com.tr, an independent news site, Semin Sezerer was summoned to testify at Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Terror Branch in 2019 with accusations of having ties with the “FETÖ/PDY organisation” due to reporting on the posts published by “Fuat Avni” from August 2014 until October 2015. Semin Sezerer and founder of the web site Harun Simavi, along with the editor-in-chief Erdal Güven were accused of receiving instructions from illegal organizations to report on Fuat Avni posts.
During her defense statement at the prosecutor’s office, Semin Sezerer indicated that the posts from the social media account “Fuat Avni” marked the political agenda, and that their news stories covered not only this account’s posts, but also politicians’ statements on the issue. She stated that they report on all newsworthy social media posts.
The prosecutor claimed that these “news stories enhanced the popularity of the account used by the organization for smear propaganda. They alleged that public prosecutors acted upon instructions. Plans for upcoming police operations, the individuals to be detained, the names of the public prosecutors involved in these operations, and claims about the country’s links to terror organizations were published”.
It was claimed that the Diken web site “served the purposes of the organization by reporting on social media posts which insult the President, violate privacy, and target state officials”.
However the indictment clearly stated that Semin Sezerer and others “do not use the application Bylock, allegedly employed by “FETÖ members for communication”, “are not members of associations connected to FETÖ,” “have not opened bank accounts at Bank Asya upon the instruction of the organization’s leader, and there are no sudden increases in their bank accounts,” and therefore the accused “do not have records in companies with links to FETÖ” and “have no ties to the senior leaders of FETÖ”.”
Nonetheless, the indictment charged the journalists with “knowingly and willingly aiding and abetting an armed terror organization without being its member” as per Turkish Penal Code, Articles 220/7 and 314/2, and Anti-Terror Law, Article 5. They each faced seven years six months to 15 years of imprisonment.
During the first hearing of the case that was held today the journalists repeated that the claims of ties to any organization, legal or illegal, are lacking grounds and are unacceptable in terms of journalistic ethical values they follow.
Semin Sezerer in her defense said: “The newspieces that caused the said accusations were made within the scope of informing the public as the main duty of a journalist. It is unacceptable that I am being accused of acting in order to create a certain perception by way of receiving instructions from an organization. Not making these posts news would be acting against my journalistic duties as the posts back in the day were a huge part of the country’s agenda. As a journalist I well know what is considered as an information piece and what is considered as propaganda. The information added to the indictment about me is far from being an element of crime. It is a shame to be tried for supporting such an organization. At Diken we have never sided with nor sparked enmity against any political party or group, if there is one thing that we side with it is the universal human rights and dignity of the profession of journalism. It is clearly seen in the detailed research conducted about me that I have nothing to do with the organization in question. I request my acquittal.”
Indeed, the defense attorneys also indicated that even the indictment itself mentioned there is no factual evidence of the journalists having any material nor psychological ties to FETÖ/PDY organization and requested that all the charges be dropped.
At the end of the three hour long hearing, the trial prosecutor requested the acquittal of all three journalists since there was no definite and convincing evidence that they had committed a crime, and that the action should be evaluated within the scope of reporting activity.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the opinion of the prosecution and the decision of the court to drop charges against Semin Sezerer and her colleagues. While we understand this is a necessary decision in order to ensure freedom of the press in the country we are aware of many journalists who are being threatened by weaponization of the law. Five women journalists in Turkey are still behind bars due to their journalistic activities. The decision came on a very important day where the President of ECtHR had a visit to Turkey and gave a speech at the “Justice Academy” about the importance of rule of law. We call upon Turkish judiciary to fulfill the obligations prescribed by the Constitution and International Treaties and ensure that the public’s right to information is guaranteed.
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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.
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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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