Turkiye: Pınar Gayıp Sentenced for Coverage of Sexual Harassment Case
Reporter given 6-month suspended sentence for “publicly degrading the Turkish nation”
Location: Turkiye, IstanbulDate: March 28, 2024
Women Press Freedom denounces the court’s decision to convict Pınar Gayıp and Mehmet Acettin, journalists with the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), of “denigrating Turkishness” for their coverage of a lawyer accused of sexual harassment. This ruling, which subjects Gayıp to a six-month suspended sentence and Acettin to seven months in prison, perpetuates a culture of silence around issues critical to public interest, particularly those affecting women. Gayıp has faced relentless and baseless persecution for her reporting, including numerous lawsuits and detentions. We view the latest lawsuit as a vindictive attempt by the lawyer to silence reporting about his conviction for sexual harassment. We urge the court of appeal to overturn this unjust decision and dismiss the charges against Gayıp and Acettin.
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On March 28, 2024, the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance ruled against journalists Pınar Gayıp and Mehmet Acettin, convicting them of "publicly degrading the Turkish nation, the Republic of Turkey, and its institutions and organs."
The trial centered around allegations made by lawyer Sezgin Keleş, previously convicted of sexual harassment. He claimed that ETHA engaged in propagating terrorist organization propaganda and insulting the state through its reporting.
Gayıp reported extensively on the case of Arzu Sena Topuz, a student who was sexually assaulted while interning at Keleş’s law office. In June 2022, the lawyer labeled Gayıp a "terrorist" and threatened to "break her bones" if she continued reporting on his trial. The reporter persisted despite the threats and interviewed the victim, publishing the report in ETHA. In February 2023, Keleş decided to sue Gayıp and ETHA.
Throughout the trial, the defense argued that the lawsuit against Gayıp and Acettin was retaliatory in nature, motivated by Keleş's desire to silence journalists who reported on his past misconduct. Their lawyer contended that the offensive remarks cited in the complaint were not directly attributable to the defendants and that their reporting fell within the bounds of press freedom.
The court disagreed, ruling to convict the journalists. Gayıp received a six-month and seven-day suspended prison sentence, while Acettin received a seven-month and fifteen-day sentence, which was not deferred.
Gayıp faces ongoing legal harassment for her reporting. She is currently battling numerous other cases related to her work. She has faced bogus terror charges, detentions, and police violence. Sadly her position is not unique; many Turkish journalists experience targeting from state agencies and politicians for their work. The Turkish government's record of being the top legal harasser of women journalists globally, as documented by Women Press Freedom's 2023 Annual Report, necessitates immediate action to protect journalists and to ensure they can report freely and safely.
Women Press Freedom is disappointed but unsurprised by this verdict against Pınar Gayıp and Mehmet Acettin. The Turkish judiciary has repeatedly punished journalists for reporting, issuing nonsense fines for insults, travel bans, and prison sentences. We urge the appeal court to overturn Gayıp and Acettin's convictions and demand authorities refrain from targeting journalists for their work.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
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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