Turkey: We are not Safe
Women Journalists Strive For Democratic Principles In The Face Of State Persecution
CFWIJ has noted with concern the dangerous digital-physical terrain that women journalists in Turkey have had to navigate in order to continue doing their jobs.
In 2022, as of November 1, we recorded 150 cases of violations against women journalists. The state has routinely weaponized its institutions to target them. From January 1 to November 1, 2022, at least 50 women have faced legal persecution while 47 have been assaulted in the field by either the police force or supporters of the state. Women journalists have also been targeted through organized troll campaigns online as well as through state media for criticizing government policies. Despite these intimidation tactics to silence them, however, women journalists continue to fulfill their civic role of holding power accountable.
CFWIJ Press Freedom Attack Tracker
Reports
Throughout the month of November 2021, CFWIJ documented 56 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of October 2021, CFWIJ documented 40 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of September 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 61 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of August 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 27 cases of violations against women journalists.
Throughout the month of July 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented an alarming 61 cases of violations against women journalists.
In the first half of 2021, women journalists faced the most danger not from criminal elements, but from the states they operate in.
Press Freedom Newsroom
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, WPF worryingly documents.
WPF strongly condemns the unjust charges against Derya Us and Nurcan Yalçın who were arrested by police for allegedly belonging to a terrorist organization.
Yet again, authorities have thrown Elif Akkuş behind bars, this time awaiting trial under accusations of evidence tampering, allegedly tied to her expenditure during coverage of conflicts in Libya and Syria while working for state-run broadcaster TRT.
WPF expresses deep concern over the actions of Turkish authorities during the May Day march in Istanbul's Saraçhane district.
WPF vehemently condemns the repeated and unfounded accusations against journalist Zeynep Kuray by Turkish authorities.
WPF strongly condemns the police raid following Kurdish Journalists' Day targeting journalists from Kurdish news outlets across Turkiye.
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Petitions & Timelines
The Turkish state has routinely weaponized its judiciary as well as its law enforcement agencies to target the journalist community in the country.