Turkey: CFWIJ Welcomes The Release Of Semiha Şahin And Pinar Gayib

Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: June 15, 2019

Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe

The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the release of two more female journalists in Turkey.

Editor Semiha Şahin and reporter Pınar Gayib from Etkin Haber Ajansı — ETHA News Agency, were released by the courts on condition of house arrest, after over fourteen months of imprisonment. The verdict was issued by the 23rd İstanbul High Criminal Court on June 13, 2019. The charges against Semiha Şahin alleged that she was a member of a terrorist organization.

She was also accused of disseminating propaganda, None of these charges have any evidence and have been called out as a ploy to intimidate journalists in Turkey. Pinar Gayib was only charged for disseminating propaganda.

CFWIJ spoke to Semiha Şahin after her release and during the conversation she said, “Our posts on social media and articles are considered evidence for the accusations. We are not members or supporters of any terrorist organizations. Therefore, our lawyers will take this case to the Human Rights Court.”

As reported by a Turkish local media outlet, Bianet, Semiha gave a statement in her defense during the last hearing. She said, “The judicial reform strategy document, also expressed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in recent weeks, contained information about long detention and freedom of expression and thought. Those were the points that we have emphasized for a year and two months. I think that the accusation charges are against freedom of thought and expression. I am a journalist from the very beginning and I say that my work is not a crime. I demand my release.”

After Semiha’s statement, Pınar too retaliated during the court hearing and said, “Our detention has been a year and two months-long. This is now a form of victimization. For five hearings, we have been trying to prove that we are doing journalism. Now we want our decision to come through.”

When speaking with CFWIJ, Semiha Şahin further added, “The reason why we’ve been released after 14 months is the length of our imprisonment and how it looks at the international level. The other reason is the high figures of journalists who are in jail nowadays. They’re trying to show that there is a decrease in the figures.” She told us.

“Journalism is not a crime, and our work cannot be regarded as an evidence for crime,” she said, adding that her interest remains in the release of all imprisoned journalists in the country, and the Coalition For Women In Journalism supports her stance. Imprisoning journalists is not only an obstruction to free speech and journalism, it is in fact, a hurdle in the ability for society to enjoy true liberty.

With the release of Pınar Gayib and Semiha Şahin, the number of female journalists who have been released has risen to three.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes these releases and urges the Turkish courts to free the remaining imprisoned journalists, both men and women, as free press is a symbol of a healthy and free society.

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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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