Turkey: We are not Safe
Women Journalists Strive For Democratic Principles In The Face Of State Persecution
CFWIJ has noted with concern the dangerous digital-physical terrain that women journalists in Turkey have had to navigate in order to continue doing their jobs.
In 2022, as of November 1, we recorded 150 cases of violations against women journalists. The state has routinely weaponized its institutions to target them. From January 1 to November 1, 2022, at least 50 women have faced legal persecution while 47 have been assaulted in the field by either the police force or supporters of the state. Women journalists have also been targeted through organized troll campaigns online as well as through state media for criticizing government policies. Despite these intimidation tactics to silence them, however, women journalists continue to fulfill their civic role of holding power accountable.
CFWIJ Press Freedom Attack Tracker
Reports
Throughout the month of November 2021, CFWIJ documented 56 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of October 2021, CFWIJ documented 40 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of September 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 61 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of August 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 27 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of July 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented an alarming 61 cases of violations against women journalists.
In the first half of 2021, women journalists faced the most danger not from criminal elements, but from the states they operate in.
Press Freedom Newsroom
WPF strongly condemns the ongoing legal proceedings against Gözde Bedeloğlu, a journalist for BirGün, who is currently facing charges of "insulting a public official" in Istanbul, Turkiye, filed by a Nationalist Movement Party politician.
Women Press Freedom stands resolutely in solidarity with Arzu Yıldız, an investigative journalist from Turkiye forced into exile after facing persistent threats and persecution for her work. Yıldız's experience is emblematic of the broader crackdown on press freedom under President Tayyip Erdoğan's regime, where dissent is aggressively stifled. We unequivocally condemn the targeting and persecution of journalists by President Tayyip Erdoğan's government.
WPF welcomes the long-overdue release of journalist Derya Ren, who was wrongfully imprisoned on baseless terrorism charges.
WPF condemns the detention of journalist and media personality Gönül Yılman Saygan at İzmir Airport.
WPF condemns this attack and calls for an immediate and thorough investigation by Iraqi and Turkish authorities to find out why the Çira TV vehicle was targeted.
WPF is appalled by the decision of the Ankara court to convict eight journalists, including four women journalists, from the Kurdish news outlet Mezopotamya Agency.
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Petitions & Timelines
The Turkish state has routinely weaponized its judiciary as well as its law enforcement agencies to target the journalist community in the country.