Turkey: Seyhan Avşar Trial Held Today
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: January 9, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Our colleague Seyhan Avşar is being tried for “identifying a public officer as a target for terrorist organizations”. Her real crime, however, was simply writing a story about a prosecutor with a criminal record.
In recent weeks, we have documented several cases where women journalists are accused of aiding terrorists or creating propaganda for the simple act of reporting or disseminating news.
The Cumhuriyet reporter published a news story in March 2019 titled 'Sözcü prosecutor has a criminal record'. It looked at the case of a prosecutor who was sentenced to 10 months in imprisonment and given a penalty fine due to malfeasance.
After her news story was published, The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against her. The first trial was held today at the İstanbul 29th High Criminal Court. She charged for "identifying a public officer as a target for terrorist organizations”.
Seyhan Avşar spoke at the hearing and said that her news story was within the limits of press freedom. Her only aim was to inform the public about the case of the corrupt prosecutor who was convicted and sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment and given a penalty. The subject of her story had been found to misuse his position and was involved in “major sexual abuse of a child.”
She denied the charges against her, while her lawyers requested her acquittal immediately. "A well-known pro-government newspaper identified me as a target. After my news story was published, the newspaper wrote that it's possible that I will be sued. The only thing that I have done is journalism," she said while making a statement.
The journalist’s lawyers have asked for her immediate acquittal. The trial has been adjourned until May 21, 2020.
We urge authorities to put an end to this practice of connecting the dots between women journalists and supposed links to terrorism anytime they work on stories that ruffle the wrong feathers. Press freedom must be allowed to prevail in the country.
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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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