Turkiye: Court Sentences Hicran Ürün and Reyhan Hacıoğlu to Over 3 Years for “Aiding” Terrorism
5 journalists connected to now-shuttered pro-Kurdish daily convicted
Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
Date: May 9, 2024
Five journalists affiliated with Özgürlükçü Demokrasi (Liberal Democracy) have been sentenced to prison, with former editors Hicran Ürün and Reyhan Hacıoğlu receiving three years and 45 days respectively, Women Press Freedom worryingly documents. They were charged with "aiding a terrorist organization without being a member," which adds to a troubling pattern analyzed by Women Press Freedom of the Turkish government's exploitation of anti-terrorism laws to stifle press freedom, particularly targeting Kurdish media outlets. Despite the verdict, all convicted journalists remain free pending an appeal. Women Press Freedom strongly condemns this unjust ruling, highlighting that Özgürlükçü Demokrasi journalists have endured years of legal battles and harassment by authorities, only to be wrongfully convicted on vague terrorism charges. Urgently, the courts must accept their appeal petition and overturn this sentencing.
On May 9, 2024, seven former journalists linked to the now-defunct Kurdish media platform Özgürlükçü Demokrasi (Liberal Democracy) stood trial in Istanbul. The court found five of them guilty of aiding a terrorist organization, resulting in sentences of over three years in prison.
Among those convicted were Hicran Ürün and Reyhan Hacıoğlu, both former editors, Mehmet Ali Çelebi, a former editor and columnist, İhsan Yaşar, a former publisher, and İshak Yasul, former responsible news editor. Çelebi received a sentence of three years and nine months, while the others were sentenced to three years and 45 days each.
Distributor Mizgin Fendik was acquitted, and the case of staffer Pınar Tarlak was separated to be consolidated with other cases.
This trial follows a sequence of events initiated by the raid and closure of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi and its printing house in March 2018. The government decreed the closure of the outlet along with two others in July of the same year.
Hicran Ürün, Mehmet Ali Çelebi, and Reyhan Hacıoğlu were arrested in April 2018, along with other staff members, on terrorism-related charges. They were initially accused by Istanbul prosecutors of operating a "terrorist publication" and having ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). After being behind bars for over a year, Hicran Ürün and Reyhan Hacioğlu were released pending trial.
During the trial, Ürün and her colleagues asserted that they were merely engaging in journalistic practices. Despite their defense, Ürün and Hacıoğlu were initially sentenced to prison in June 2019. However, this verdict was eventually overturned, prompting a retrial that began in November 2021.
The targeting of media outlets and journalists serving the Kurdish population in Turkiye reflects a wider trend of systematic persecution and restrictions. According to documentation by Women Press Freedom, Kurdish journalists have faced consistent press violations since 2019. In recent months the persecution has escalated significantly, Diyarbakır, journalists Derya Us, and Nurcan Yalçın were arrested on May 6, 2024, on alleged terror charges following police raids on their homes. On April 23, 2024, nine journalists from Kurdish media organizations were detainedin coordinated operations across Istanbul, Ankara, and Urfa. Among them, Esra Solin Dal, Mehmet Aslan, and Erdoğan Alayumat remain in pre-trial detention, facing dubious terror-related charges. Additionally, in February 2024, police raided the homes of six Kurdish media workers in Izmir. They all face charges of belonging to a terrorist organization, with four placed under house arrest and the other two released with restrictions.
For seven years the journalists and staff of Özgürlükçü Demokrasi have been subjected to arrest, persistent legal harassment, and lengthy spells behind bars. They have faced unjust persecution for their work for a Kurdish media outlet and are now battling yet another unjust sentencing. We demand an end to this judicial harassment, the courts must accept their petition to appeal and overturn this unjust conviction once again.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
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.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.