Journalist finally free after her release was blocked five times

Location: Turkiye, Ankara

Date: April 13, 2024

Women Press Freedom celebrates the release of Dilan Oyunş after an unjust seven-year imprisonment on spurious terrorism charges. Her detention highlights a broader issue of press suppression under the guise of national security, particularly targeting Kurdish journalists in Turkiye. The repeated obstruction of Oyunş's release by prison authorities, even after her sentence technically ended, exemplifies the systemic efforts to silence dissenting voices. The hardships she faced in prison, from being targeted for cultural practices to the denial of her Kurdish identity, underline the human rights violations that persist within the judicial and penal systems. While welcoming her release, Women Press Freedom raises serious concerns regarding prison authorities' attempts to obstruct her freedom since 2022. As we rejoice in Oyunş's newfound liberty, we recognize that the journalist should never have been sentenced in the first place. In solidarity with Oyunş, we demand the release of all unjustly imprisoned journalists in Turkiye.

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Dilan Oyunş — who was detained in June 2016 while covering demonstrations and sentenced to five years for "being a member of a terrorist organization" — spent almost eight years in prison before being released on April 13, 2024.

Reflecting on her arrest, Oyunş recounted the circumstances that led to her imprisonment, citing her involvement with Azadiya Welat, a Kurdish-language newspaper. "I was detained for documenting the self-government resistance in Silopi and sharing the experiences of the people," she told MA. "They wanted to silence the free press, and I was punished for it."

Oyunş faced repeated hurdles in securing her release. Her sentence technically ending on April 26, 2022, but the journalist was repeatedly denied freedom on dubious grounds. On April 27, 2022, she was brought before the prison board but was unjustly retained due to alleged "misconduct." Multiple attempts to secure her release on July 21, 2022, and January 21, 2023, were similarly thwarted, citing Oyunş’ refusal to express contrition for her alleged offenses.

Upon her release, Oyunş revealed the relentless human rights violations faced by Kurdish inmates, ranging from arbitrary disciplinary punishments for cultural practices to the denial of their Kurdish identity.

"In prisons, greeting each other, dancing halay, or participating in Newroz celebrations were all considered grounds for disciplinary action," Oyunş says. "Our Kurdish identity was never acknowledged, and many of our friends remain imprisoned simply because we are Kurds.”

Kurdish journalists in Turkiye are frequent targets of raids, imprisonment, and state persecution under alleged anti-terror operations. Numerous Kurdish outlets have been shuttered by the Turkish government. Women Press Freedom has documented cases of unjust detentions, ludicrous terror charges, and frequent legal intimidation targeting journalists working for the Kurdish press. This month, 9 journalists were detained in early morning raids in three Turkish cities; they are being held by police with no access to their legal representatives. 

Despite the adversity she faced, upon her release Oyunş spoke of the resilience of Kurdish prisoners in Turkish prisons. Throughout her incarceration, Oyunş and her fellow inmates worked to defy the oppressive conditions imposed upon them. "We fostered a spirit of solidarity and equality within the prison walls," she said. 

Women Press Freedom welcomes the long-awaited release of Dilan Oyunş while condemning the continuous attempts to block her freedom since her sentence ended almost two years ago. As of today, nine women journalists remain behind bars in Turkiye. Some are languishing in detention pending trial, and others, like Hatice Duman, have been imprisoned for more than ten years. Most are facing lengthy sentences for bogus terror-related offenses. We stand in solidarity with all press unjustly punished for their work. Journalism is not terrorism, all incarcerated journalists must be released.

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.

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