Turkey: CFWIJ Demands Immediate Release Of Journalist Zeynep Durgut
Location: Turkey, Şırnak
Date: Demecber 18, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Reporters from the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) and Jin News, Zeynep Durgut, Rojda Aydın and Derya Ren, were detained in Şırnak. Journalists Rojda Aydın and Derya Ren were released after the General Information Scan (GBT) conducted by the police, but Zeynep Durgut was taken to the Şırnak Police Station, where she remains in police custody. These incidents mark one hundred detentions of women journalists that we have documented this year alone. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns these deliberate attempts to silence journalists. We demand the immediate release of Zeynep and an end to the state’s intimidation of journalists.
As a result of the GBT, there was an arrest warrant issued for MA reporter Zeynep Durgut. The Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, who launched the charges against Zeynep, has yet to confirm any information about the case. Aycan İrmez, Zeynep’s lawyer, said to CFWIJ that the journalist will be taken to Van today from the Şırnak, where her testimony will be heard.
According to MA, Zeynep Durgut was taken into custody during the investigation into her story that revealed the violations against two Kurdish villagers, named Servet Turgut, and Osman Siban, who was tortured and thrown from a national army helicopter.
This is the third attack that MA is now facing. On November 24, following the arrest of correspondent Dindar Karataş, the Van Office of MA was raided by the police. Upon the request of the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Van 1st Criminal Court of Peace ordered a search of the journalist’s home and the MA’s Van office. Jinnews correspondents Dilan Babat, Hikmet Tunç, Esra Önver, Rabia Önver, Aynur Aslan and MA reporters Özlem Yayan and Melek Şahin were present at the time of the search. After the search, the police seized multiple hard drives, laptops and computers belonging to MA.
The police forces previously raided MA’s Van office after they aired a story about Kurdish villagers named Servet Turgut and Osman Siban, revealing he was tortured and thrown from a national army helicopter. Following the raid, Jinnews reporter Sehriban Abi and journalist Nazan Sala were arrested and detained for four days. The journalists were tortured while held in the male ward of the prison, under deplorable conditions.
CFWIJ follows the developments and the legal intimidation against the journalists with great concern. We have documented at least four cases of attacks against journalists in the past month. We reiterate that these initiatives overshadow press freedom and freedom of expression. Journalism is not a crime and must not be prosecuted as such. We demand Turkish officials to release Zeynep Durgut immediately.
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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.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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