Turkey: Turkish Court Filed A Lawsuit Against An Imprisoned Journalist; CFWIJ Demands Transparency and Accountability
Location: Turkey, Ankara
Date: January 5, 2023Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Journalist Ceylan Şahinli, who has been behind bars for more than two months, now faces legal harassment. Apart from the case that resulted in her imprisonment, another lawsuit was filed against her. We condemn systematic policies to keep women journalists behind bars and demand Ceylan’s immediate release.
A lawsuit was filed against Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Ceylan Şahinli, who was arrested on 29 October 2022 as part of an investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation, which has turned into a lawsuit, was opened five years ago but Şahinli was not notified until her arrest on October 29, 2022.
Ceylan, who is being held in Sincan Women's Closed Prison, explained the case against her in a letter she sent to MA. In her letter, she touched upon the rights violations in Sincan Women's Closed Prison, where she has been detained for more than two months. She reported that her rights have been restricted while in detention, including being denied the ability to participate in social activities with other detainees and experiencing heat cutoff in the prison after 4 pm. Additionally, she stated that she was questioned by the prosecutor's office without the presence of a lawyer, despite her requests for legal representation.
Ceylan Şahinli and eight of her colleagues have been behind bars since October 28, 2022. The houses of 11 journalists, including 7 women, were raided by the police and the journalists were detained after being subjected to police violence. Three days later, nine of them including Ceylan were arrested.
The first hearing of Şahinli's case is scheduled for March 7, but it is not clear at this time what specific charges she faces as a result of the investigation. This arrest and detention raise serious concerns about press freedom and the treatment of journalists in Turkey. We call on the Turkish authorities to ensure that Şahinli's rights are protected and that she is released from detention immediately.
Turkey Heats Up On Risk Map For Press Violations
In 2022, the CFWIJ noted with concern the dangerous digital-physical terrain that women journalists in Turkey have had to navigate in order to continue doing their jobs. In 2022, as of December 10, we recorded more than 150 cases of violations against women journalists. The state has routinely weaponized its institutions to target them. At least 50 women have faced legal persecution while 47 have been assaulted in the field by either the police force or supporters of the state. Women journalists have also been targeted through organized online troll campaigns as well as through state media for criticizing government policies. Despite these intimidation tactics to silence them, women journalists continue to fulfill their civic role of holding power accountable.
Currently, Turkey ranks first in violence against women journalists cases among all the global cases we have documented since January 2022. 17 women journalists are behind bars today. On October 25, the houses of 11 journalists, including seven women, were raided by the police, detained after being subjected to police violence and six of them were arrested. In a single day, Turkey jumped to the 2nd spot from previously ranking 5th on the list of top jailers of women journalists.
Compared to 2021, the number of women journalists detained in 2022, increased by 27% as of December 14. Turkey, which ranks first in many violence categories, set a new record in 2022. We demand a safer environment for women journalists and call on the Turkish government to respect their rights.
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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.