Turkiye: At Least 6 Women Journalists Detained in Police Raids Following Widespread Anti-Terrorism Operation
The Coalition For Women In Journalism denounces aggressive police actions against critical journalists and activists under the guise of anti-terror investigation
Location: Turkiye
Date: October 3-6, 2023*Updated on October 9, 2023
Six women journalists were detained in Turkiye during nationwide police raids on leftist and Kurdish news outlets and organizations following a bombing in Ankara. Journalists Tuba Apaydın, Songül Yücel, Sena Şat, Nuran Güvenilir, Ezgi Yergin, and Berna Karataş are among those detained. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply concerned about the abuse of power by Turkish authorities and their ongoing persecution of journalists and activists under the guise of anti-terrorism operations.
“I am an objective journalist. My work is not a tool for propaganda,” freelance journalist Berna Karataş tells CFWIJ after she was detained following A police raid on her home on October 6, 2023. "I am accused of making terrorist propaganda, and the news I reported 2 years ago is being presented as evidence to support this accusation.”
Starting from October 3, 2023, more than 75 people, including at least six women journalists, were detained in police raids across 11 provinces in Turkey. These raids were part of ongoing anti-terrorism operations following a bomb attack in Ankara on October 1st.
Two police officers were injured by the bombing outside the Ministry of the Interior on October 1st. A group associated with the terrorist group the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), claimed responsibility for the attack.
Turkish authorities have exploited this bombing to conduct widespread detentions of people associated with Kurdish and left-wing organizations throughout the country.
On October 6, 2023, police raided Önsöz news outlet and detained its journalists, including editor Songül Yücel and Sena Şat, a satirical cartoonist at the outlet, and editorial board member Nuran Güvenilir. Struggle Union Newspaper’s editor, Ezgi Yergin, was also detained. The charges against them include "membership in a terrorist organization" and "providing finance to a terrorist organization." They were released under judicial control, including a travel ban, on October 9.
On the same day, freelance journalist Berna Karataş was detained at 6 AM, during a police raid on her house in Eskişehir. Police seized her phone and all digital materials. After giving her statement, Berna Karataş was referred to court and released with a travel ban 12 hours later. Karataş is accused of creating terrorist propaganda based on her reporting while working for the Mezopotamya Agency two years ago.
After her release, Karataş told CFWIJ that it appears that her efforts to raise awareness about preventing forest fires and advocating for vulnerable people are unfairly associated with criminal activities. She says her reporting on the detrimental effects of environmental disasters is being viewed as propaganda by the Turkish government.
“I am a journalist with a peaceful, anti-war worldview. Again, I want to emphasize that I reject the criminalization of my profession and the news I produce in this manner. I will continue to do my work and defend the integrity of journalism,” says Karataş.
On October 3, 2023, left-wing publication Yeni Demokrasi took to Twitter to announce that police had raided its office in Istanbul. Authorities apprehended its editor-in-chief, Tuba Apaydın, and reporter Ertan Çıta. Apaydın was brought before the prosecutor and later released under judicial control. Çıta was arrested and remains in detention.
Kurdish journalists frequently face harassment, detention, and arrest by authorities under the pretext of anti-terrorism investigations. CFWIJ data from the past four years shows that a large majority (60-80%) of targeted women journalists in Turkiye are of Kurdish origin. These journalists often face unfounded accusations of being linked to the PKK simply because they report on their community or use their native language. CFWIJ's founding director, Kiran Nazish, says CFWIJ has been addressing the crackdown on Kurdish journalists for five years, but this “particular stifling of Kurdish voices has been ignored in the mainstream, leading to an even greater number of journalists behind bars.”
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the detention and raids against journalists by Turkish police. The government must stop its attempt to crack down on critical press by legally harassing and detaining journalists from Kurdish and left-wing outlets. We urge Turkish prosecutors to drop all charges against the journalists and return their equipment immediately.
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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