Belgium/Turkiye: Kurdish Journalists' Day Marred by Raids and Detentions in Turkiye and Belgium
Esra Solin Dal and two others arrested on terrorism charges
Location: Turkiye, Ankara, Istanbul, UrfaDate: April 23, 2024Update: April 27, 2024
Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the police raid following Kurdish Journalists' Day targeting journalists from Kurdish news outlets across Turkiye. In the early morning hours, nine journalists, including four women journalists, Esra Solin Dal, Saliha Aras, Yeşim Alici, and Beste Argat Balcı, were later charged with "membership in a terrorist organization." Esra Solin Dal and two male journalists were sent to pre-trial detention; the other six journalists were released under judicial control orders. This alarming trend of using excessive force against Kurdish media personnel by Turkish authorities is disturbingly frequent and unacceptable. This marks the second instance of mass detentions and raids aimed at the Kurdish press in 2024 alone. These journalists face routine persecution, legal harassment, and unwarranted detention by Turkish law enforcement and security agencies. Our documentation of press violations shows journalists from Kurdish media outlets in Turkiye are often unjustly charged with terrorism-related offenses and accused of affiliation with banned organizations like the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The coincidental timing of the raids and arrest in Turkiye with raids on two Kurdish media outlets in Belgium, under investigation at the request of France for links to the financing of terrorism, raises concerns. Journalism is not a crime, and reporting in Kurdish or on issues concerning the Kurdish minority in Turkiye does not constitute terrorism. We demand an immediate end to the Turkish government's abuse of power and its oppressive campaign against Kurdish media and journalists. All detained journalists must be released immediately and unconditionally. Further, the international community must take a stand and demand that France and Belgium provide clear explanations for their actions to ensure accountability and adherence to democratic principles.
On April 23, 2024, nine journalists from Kurdish media organizations were detained in coordinated operations carried out in Istanbul, Ankara, and Urfa in the morning hours. The detained include Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Esra Solin Dal, journalists Saliha Aras, Yeşim Alıcı, Beste Argat Balcı, Mehmet Aslan, Enes Sezgin, Şirin Ermiş, Erdoğan Alayumat, and former MA reporter Doğan Kaynak.
The investigation, reportedly conducted under confidentiality orders, led to restrictions on lawyer access for the nine journalists and press workers for 24 hours.
On April 25, statements were taken from seven detained journalists and press workers who opted to remain silent during police questioning. Authorities probed their social media activity, affiliations with news agencies, reporting activities, phone records, and communications with news sources for evidence.
A day later, the journalists were charged with "membership in a terrorist organization." Aslan, Solin Dal, and Alayumat were sent to pre-trial detention, while the other six journalists were released under judicial control orders.
Concerningly, the mass raids coincided with a massive police raid on two exiled Kurdish media outlets in Belgium, the reasoning for which remains unclear. On the night of April 22, 2024, Belgian police searched two Kurdish media outlets in Denderleeuw, Brussels. The raid targeted the TV studios of Sterk TV and Medya News. Employees were reportedly handcuffed, and significant amounts of technical equipment and laptops were seized.
"It is not the first raid either. In 2010, they had already raided our studios here in Denderleeuw. We have been here since 1995, but we are being targeted again. In 2010, we were cleared of all charges," says Erem Kansoy, a journalist with one of the broadcasters.
Over 200 officers were deployed, including special units, and a water cannon was used during the operation. Several people were arrested and questioned but have since been released. According to the federal prosecutor's office, the raids were performed at the request of France, which is conducting an investigation into the financing of terrorism.
"The general rule is that in Belgium, searches cannot be conducted after 9 PM or before 5 AM," explains Raf Verstraeten, a criminal law expert at KU Leuven. "This can only be done if the owner gives written consent or is caught in the act. However, when it comes to a search related to terrorist offenses, an explicit exception to the rule is made. In that case, the search may take place at night with a warrant from the investigating judge," says Verstraeten.
The targeting of journalists working for Kurdish outlets is part of a broader pattern of repression and discrimination against Kurdish media in Turkiye. In February 2024, police in Izmir raided the homes of six journalists associated with Kurdish outlets. They were detained on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organization. After four days, most of the journalists were placed under house arrest, while Semra Turan and Cihan Başakçıoğlu were released under judicial control. All journalists were subjected to a travel ban and required to check in at a police station twice a week if not under house arrest.
For years, Kurdish journalists have endured harassment, arbitrary arrests, and imprisonment under the guise of anti-terror operations. Turkish authorities often exploit these laws to stifle dissent and muzzle voices advocating for Kurdish rights or reporting on issues impacting the Kurdish community.
Women Press Freedom denounces the police raids and unjust detention of the nine journalists who all work for Kurdish media outlets. The Turkish government persistently targets the Kurdish press, detaining and imprisoning them on bogus terror charges making their ability to report almost impossible. This is not the behavior of a democratic government that adheres to press freedom, freedom of expression, and the protection of human rights. The international community must condemn the consistently aggressive police raids of journalists.
Urgent action is needed to safeguard the rights of members of the Kurdish press in Turkiye, ensure their freedom to report, and protect them from persecution. Women Press Freedom demands the immediate and unconditional release of all journalists unlawfully detained.
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