Turkiye: Nadiye Gürbüz Acquitted of Terror Related Charges
Women Press Freedom welcomes court’s decision while urging an end to state’s abuse of anti-terror legislation to target journalist
Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
Date: February 16, 2024updated: February 27, 2024
After facing serious accusations that saw Nadiye Gürbüz spend five months behind bars, the court has finally acquitted the Etkin Haber Ajansı (ETHA) editor of all terror-related charges. Gürbüz was arrested in April 2023 and endured months of unjustified pre-trial detention. She then stood trial on grave accusations of extremism, for the reporting of ETHA, her relationship with detainees, and for expressing condolences for her family members on social media. Earlier this month, the prosecutor attempted to pursue a maximum sentence of 22.5 years for the journalist. Women Press Freedom celebrates the court’s decision to acquit Gürbüz, but expresses alarm that the journalist was forced to spend months in detention on unwarranted terror charges.
On February 27, 2024, journalist Nadiye Gürbüz was cleared of charges of affiliation with a terrorist group and promoting its ideology in a trial held at Istanbul's 25th Heavy Penal Court.
Gürbüz was first detained during a police raid on her home in April 2023 as part of an investigation into the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP). The ESP has been outlawed by Turkish authorities since 2010, under allegations of supporting Kurdish terrorism, particularly the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party). After months behind bars, she was released conditionally in October 2023.
On February 16, 2024, prosecutor Mehmet Said Küçükbursa announced he was seeking severe penalties for the ETHA editor on charges of affiliation with a terrorist group and promoting its ideology. The prosecutor advocated for a disproportionately harsh sentence ranging from 9 to 22.5 years of imprisonment.
The prosecutor's case against Gürbüz was built on a foundation of unfounded accusations, including alleged financial transactions with ESP-affiliated prisoners, her past association with the now-banned Atılım Newspaper, and her coverage of the Suruç Massacre for ETHA. Her presence at a commemorative event for her dead husband and nephew at the ESP Co-Presidency has also been used as evidence against her.
Last year, Nadiye Gürbüz’s husband Zeki Gürbüz, a leader of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), along with her nephew, Özgür Namoğlu, were killed in Rojava, Syria. The Anadolu Agency claimed that Gürbüz was killed in Haseke during an operation by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT). MLKP is designated as an active terrorist organization in Turkiye.
The prosecutor also deemed Gürbüz's social media activity, particularly a post on Twitter expressing condolences for her husband and nephew, as terrorist propaganda.
The tweet in question from Gürbüz's Twitter account stated: "And never forget to laugh out loud #ZekiGürbüz #ÖzgürNamoğlu."
During her final hearing, Gürbüz's lawyer, Zilan Yeşil, criticized the indictment prepared against her client. She reminded the court that Gürbüz has been actively practicing journalism since 1997. Yeşil stated, "Even in the indictment, there is doubt about her being a 'member of an organization' just because she worked for Atılım newspaper."
The defense argued that the prosecution had defined "membership of an organization" based on assumptions and that there were no legal grounds for both accusations. The judge agreed and decided to acquit Gürbüz, concluding that the accusation against her did not constitute a crime according to the law.
Sadly, the persecution of Kurdish journalists and the banning of Kurdish news outlets is a shamefully common occurrence in Turkiye. Gürbüz's outlet, the socialist paper ETHA, and its journalists have faced frequent arrests and legal harassment from the Turkish state for their supposed affiliations with Kurdish organizations. Women Press Freedom data shows that authorities disproportionately target Kurdish women journalists. Journalists, such as Dicle Müftüoğlu, are frequently detained and face severe and unfounded allegations of terrorism links for reporting for the Kurdish press, writing in the Kurdish language, or simply covering issues of concern for the Kurdish community in Turkiye.
Women Press Freedom welcomes the dismissal of all charges against Nadiye Gürbüz. It's our firm belief that Gürbüz was being singled out and faced severe punishment due to her familial connections. The prosecutor's interpretation of Gürbüz's personal tweet as propaganda exemplifies the concerning lengths to which authorities are willing to go to suppress her voice. We demand that Turkish authorities cease their persecution of Kurdish and left-wing media outlets. The targeting of journalists under the guise of combating terrorism undermines democracy and threatens the very fabric of a free and just society.
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