Journalist has faced several bogus lawsuits for reporting on police

Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
Date: February 22, 2024

Women Press Freedom has been closely following the case against journalist Canan Coşkun in Turkiye and welcomes the recent court decision to drop all charges against her following a retrial. However, while we celebrate this outcome, it is impossible to ignore the prolonged nature of Coşkun's legal battle. The fact that it took years for the courts to arrive at this decision is deeply disappointing and highlights a concerning trend of legal harassment faced by journalists in Turkiye. The protracted legal process not only puts immense strain on the individuals involved but also sends a chilling message to other journalists and media practitioners about the potential repercussions of their reporting.

LATEST VIOLATIONS

Journalist Canan Coşkun has been acquitted of "targeting individuals who have participated in counterterrorism efforts" for her 2016 article, marking the end of a prolonged legal battle.

On February 22, 2024, at the İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court, following the recommendation of the prosecutor, officially dismissed the case against Coşkun, citing the expiration of the 5-year probation period. This decision brings a conclusion to the legal ordeal endured by Coşkun, who faced charges under Article 6/1 of the Anti-Terrorism Law for her investigative journalism.

Coşkun's legal battle began after she reported on the detention of 12 children in a park in Istanbul's Esenyurt district in August 2016. The authorities detained these children under suspicion of involvement with extremist activities for singing folk songs. Coşkun's article titled "They Sang Folk Songs, They Were Arrested," published in the newspaper Cumhuriyet, reported on this grave injustice.

Following its publication, Coşkun was accused of targeting officials involved in counterterrorism efforts due to her coverage. 

In May 2017, Coşkun was sentenced to 10 months in prison. The execution of the sentence was postponed initially and later canceled by the Istanbul 15th Heavy Penal Court following objections from Coşkun's legal team. The subsequent refusal of the 14th Heavy Penal Court to abide by this decision led to a protracted legal tug-of-war.

Coşkun's lawyer appealed to the Constitutional Court, which ruled that Coşkun's freedom of expression had been violated. The case was then sent back to the lower court for a new trial, which has now resulted in her acquittal. 

Coşkun has faced repeated legal persecution due to her coverage of police misconduct. Over the years, she has found herself embroiled in courtroom battles, defending her fundamental right to report. Women Press Freedom celebrates her recent acquittal but condemns the arduous legal ordeal she endured to vindicate her journalistic integrity. Coşkun's case highlights the unjust and draining legal harassment journalists in Turkiye often endure. They are frequently subjected to frivolous lawsuits by state prosecutors, clearly aimed at stifling their reporting and silencing their voices.

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