Turkiye: 6 Journalists Charged with Attending “Illegal” Protest Supporting Arrested Colleagues
Absurd charges stem from April 2023 demonstration where the journalists were beaten and detained by police
Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
Date: January 10, 2024
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom denounces the legal harassment of journalists Pınar Gayip, Eylem Nazlıer, Zeynep Kuray, Yadigâr Aygün, Serpil Ünal, and Esra Soybir. These journalists face charges for attending an alleged "illegal" meeting last year, where they sought to issue a public statement in support of their Kurdish colleagues unjustly detained in nationwide arrests. What exacerbates the severity of this legal persecution is the fact that the very journalists now facing charges were subjected to both physical assault and detention by the police during the same event. These charges appear to be a thinly veiled attempt by the authorities to divert attention from their own reprehensible violence towards the journalists. We call for the immediate dismissal of this case and an end to the legal harassment.
"We are journalists. At most, we have a camera and a pen in our hands. If there is a crime, it is not us who committed this crime, but those who detained us illegally," Eylem Nazlıer proclaimed defiantly when called to give evidence in front of the judge at the Istanbul Anadolu 22nd Court of First Instance.
“If there is a crime, it is not us who committed this crime, but those who detained us illegally.”
Nazlıer and five of her colleagues were beaten and detained while attempting to issue a public press statement following the mass arrests of Kurdish journalists in April 2023. Almost a year later, the same six journalists are standing trial. Not to give evidence of their mistreatment at the hands of police but to defend themselves for allegedly participating in an “unlawful meeting” and not “dispersing spontaneously despite warning.” The prosecutor is seeking up to three years of imprisonment.
The first hearing of the case took place on January 10, 2024, a symbolic day for Turkish journalists as it marks the country’s Working Journalists Day. The journalists and their legal teams issued their defense statements in front of the judge, each as defiant as the next, expressing their innocence, criticizing the police’s actions and the prosecutor’s decision to charge them.
"Our colleagues are being detained and arrested. Can't I support my colleague? Kurdish journalists are being criminalized, and those who support them are also being criminalized," photojournalist Zeynep Kuray told the court.
Pınar Gayip commenced her defense, explaining that the statement and solidarity demonstration the journalists planned were lawful. “When I went there an hour before the protest, the police chief I met said that there was no prohibition decision,” Gayip recalled. “I said that if there was such a decision, we could change the venue, but when he said that there was no decision, we gathered at the time of the announced action.”
The journalist went on to describe the scene that unfolded when police began their crackdown. “Journalists were beaten and thrown into the middle of traffic. I don't want to call this a beating; it was torture," she stressed.
“Our colleagues are being detained and arrested. Can’t I support my colleague?”
Yadigâr Aygün’s testimony also reflected the horrific mistreatment the journalists endured. "We were detained under torture and subjected to harassment. The police did not release the handcuffs even though I stated that I had a heart disease when taken into custody."
“I don’t want to call this a beating; it was torture.”
Following their testimonies, the court requested that a copy of the prohibition decision given on the day of the incident be sent to the Kadıköy District Police Department and Kadıköy District Governorship. The judge also requested video evidence of the detentions. The case was adjourned until April 16, 2024.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is appalled by the Istanbul prosecutor’s decision to try this case. Rather than the court focusing on the evidence of police misconduct and brutality, it is considering baseless charges against the reporters. We insist on justice and accountability for the violence inflicted upon these journalists, and we stand united against any attempts to stifle press freedom through unjust legal means. This case must be dismissed immediately and, in its place, a transparent and thorough investigation into police misconduct should be initiated.
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 women 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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