Mezopotamya News Agency reporter charged with violating protest law

Location: Turkiye, Şırnak

Date: March 22, 2024

Women Press Freedom condemns the charges brought against Zeynep Durgut, who was unjustly and forcibly arrested while she was covering a women's rights activist's press statement in November 2023. She is now facing charges for supposedly breaching protest laws. Rather than addressing reports of police brutality against Durgut and activists, it is concerning that those who were aggressively apprehended are now being prosecuted. We urge authorities to dismiss the charges against Durgut and her fellow women and to investigate the claims of police misconduct thoroughly.

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On March 22, 2024, at the Şırnak Criminal Court of First Instance, the first hearing of the case against Mezopotamya News Agency journalist Zeynep Durgut was held.

Durgut was detained while covering a scheduled press conference in Şırnak on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in November 2023. Police detained 21 people, including Durgut and three other journalists, when they violently dispersed the gathering, claiming the meeting was illegal due to a ban issued by the governor’s office. The police broke the journalists’ cameras and other equipment. 

The detainees were released after their statements were taken. While the charges against some were dropped, Durgut and 17 others were indicted for "participating in an unlawful assembly and demonstration without dispersing despite warnings."

Those indicted argue that they were simply exercising their right to peaceful protest, especially on a day dedicated to raising awareness of violence against women.

"On November 25, women take to the streets not only in Turkey but all over the world. But for some reason, on such a day, women were subjected to violence by male police officers," Durgut told the court in her defense. 

The journalist described the police brutality she witnessed at the scene. "They tried to confiscate my cameras,” recounts Durgut. “Two male police officers handcuffed me behind my back. They broke my camera and tripod." 

"They broke a woman's arm and a woman's wrist," says the journalist. 

Durgut’s trial has been postponed until 27 June 2024.

Durgut has faced repeated harassment from authorities for her reporting for the Kurdish news site Mezopotamya News Agency (MA). Durgut was arrested after a police raid on her home in Şırnak, on February 14, 2022. She was held in the Cizre Counterterrorism Department, and Durgut's journalism activities were questioned based on “anonymous witness” statements. She was released after four days in detention. In 2021, she faced charges of “being a member of a terrorist organization" after a police raid on an MA office.

The Turkish authorities frequently target Kurdish media entities, often resorting to baseless accusations and employing counter-terrorism legislation to suppress Kurdish voices. Many reputable outlets have been forced to shutter, and their journalists are frequently subjected to spurious charges merely for reporting on Kurdish issues or sharing news in the Kurdish language. Under the pretext of combating terrorism, the state consistently alleges connections between these media organizations and the PKK, a designated terrorist group. Such accusations perpetuate a climate of fear and censorship, depriving Kurdish communities of their right to access reliable information and express their perspectives.

Women Press Freedom demands a thorough investigation into the treatment of Zeynep Durgut and her colleagues, the immediate dropping of charges against them, and accountability for any acts of violence or misconduct committed by the authorities. We urge authorities to stop the harassment of critical news outlets and journalists; the persistent legal harassment of the Kurdish press, in particular, must stop.

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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