Turkiye: Yet Again Bogus Terrorism Investigation Into Zeynep Kuray
Kuras faces continuous police violence, unjust detention, and legal harassment for her work
Location: Turkiye, IstanbulDate: April 30, 2024
Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns the repeated and unfounded accusations against journalist Zeynep Kuray by Turkish authorities. The latest charges of "making propaganda for a terrorist organization," stemming from her coverage of a public protest in Istanbul, are a clear attempt to suppress freedom of the press and silence dissent. The continuous pattern of harassment, including police violence, unjust detention, and legal battles faced by Kuray, is indicative of a broader crackdown on independent journalism in Turkiye, as documented by Women Press Freedom. We call for the immediate cessation of this investigation into Zeynep Kuray and demand the Turkish authorities to stop using terrorism-related charges to intimidate and silence journalists. It is imperative for the health of democracy and the right to free speech that journalists are allowed to report freely and without persecution.
"I am a journalist, and I informed the public," stated Zeynep Kuray in her testimony to the Şişli District Police Department Security Bureau on April 30, 2024.
The acclaimed photojournalist is under investigation for her social media images from an HDP (People's Democratic Party) protest in Şirinevler, Istanbul.
Authorities are investigating whether the images she shared in October 2022 amount to “terrorist propaganda.”
Kuray insisted she was doing her job as a journalist, informing the public about the protest. The HDP demonstration was in response to reports of chemical weapon use in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) - the semi-autonomous region located in northern Iraq.
The HDP is a left-wing political party that primarily represents Kurdish interests in Turkiye and advocates for minority rights, democracy, and social justice.
Kuray defended her social media post as an act of transparency and refused to accept the allegations against her.
Her lawyer, Fatih Aydın, stressed Kuray's profession as a journalist, clarifying that her post didn't support any particular group.
Kuray has faced various instances of police intervention and legal harassment in recent years. Just this month, a criminal case filed against her for reporting on environmental demonstrations was dropped. In 2022, CFWIJ recorded four occurrences where law enforcement obstructed her reporting. In April 2023, Kuray, along with five other women journalists, was beaten and detained by the police for participating in a protest against the widespread detentions of journalists in Diyarbakir. In September 2023, Kuray was detained by police while covering a protest in Bergama, İzmir.
Women Press Freedom unequivocally stands with journalist Zeynep Kuray against the baseless and continuous allegations labeled as "terrorism" by Turkish authorities. The relentless persecution of Kuray, involving unjust detentions, legal harassment, and physical violence, represents a flagrant disregard for the essential principles of press freedom and democratic values. Journalism is not a crime, yet the charges against Kuray for merely documenting a public protest in Istanbul expose a disturbing trend of criminalizing journalistic activities under the guise of combating terrorism. We demand the immediate cessation of the unfounded legal proceedings against Kuray and call for a significant reevaluation of policies that allow for the weaponization of anti-terrorism laws against the press.
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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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