Turkiye: Anti-Terror Police Detain and Charge Kibriye Evren

Reporter has faced repeated legal harassment from the state

Location: Turkiye, Kocaeli
Date: February 9, 2024

Update: February 12, 2024

Kibriye Evren was detained and her home raided. The journalist is now facing terrorism charges for sending money to a friend in prison. She was released under judicial control (on bail). This is not the first time Evren has faced such intimidation; her reporting with JIN News has previously led to baseless legal charges and a lengthy detention. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom denounces her detention and demands the baseless charges against her are dropped. We call for an end to the harassment she faces.

In a morning raid on her home in Kocaeli on February 9, 2024, journalist Kirbriye Evren was detained by the anti-terror unit. Her phone was seized, and a 24-hour lawyer restriction was imposed upon the reporter. 

Evren was detained on allegations of "membership in a terrorist organization" and "providing finance to a terrorist organization" for sending money to her friend in prison in 2021.

After a 3-day period of detention, Evren was taken to Kocaeli Courthouse. Following the completion of the prosecution proceedings, Evren was referred to the 1st Criminal Court of Peace with a request for arrest.

During the proceedings at the 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace, Evren defended that all of her actions were in line with journalistic practices. Specifically addressing accusations regarding money transfers, Evren explained that the transfers were made to social contacts and were part of her professional duties as a journalist. 

Supporting Evren, Şule Recepoğlu, a lawyer representing the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Association (MKG), emphasized Evren's long-standing career as a journalist and reiterated that all activities fell within the boundaries of journalistic work. The lawyers representing Evren demanded her acquittal.

Following these statements and arguments, the court decided to release Evren under judicial control. 

Evren spent over a year behind bars following her arrest in 2018. The reporter, who was working with all-women outlet JIN News at the time, was charged with membership of a terrorist organization. She continues to face persecution after her release and is subject to judicial controls, including an international travel ban.

Over the years, Evren has faced continuous hearings related to several trumped-up charges. The latest news of her detention signals an escalation of persecution by the Turkish state.

Media outlets like JIN News and journalists serving the Kurdish population in Turkiye face systematic persecution and restrictions. Documentation by CFWIJ reveals a pattern of press violations against Kurdish journalists since 2019. Renowned Kurdish journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu, a dedicated advocate for imprisoned journalists, was arrested on Press Freedom Day 2023 and remains in detention, facing repeated legal harassment. In April 2023, 17 Kurdish journalists were charged with terrorism-related offenses, and in November, Dilşah Kocakaya began a 15-month prison sentence for her past work with a Kurdish site. Despite claims of anti-terrorism measures, the reality is that Kurdish outlets and journalists are penalized for their commitment to addressing issues relevant to their communities through Kurdish language media.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the terrorism charges against Kirbriye Evren. We are deeply troubled that Evren is, yet again, being targeted by authorities for her work as a journalist. All charges against her must be dropped and she must be allowed to report freely.

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.