Turkey: CFWIJ Welcomes The Lawsuit Against Three Police Officer Who Assaulted Journalist Beyza Kural
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: April 27, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
A lawsuit was filed against three police officers, who physically assaulted journalist Beyza Kural, over charges of “violating the freedom to work and labour". The first hearing will be held on June 23, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) welcomes the court ruling. Following and reporting the news is a journalists' fundamental right and cannot be prevented. As the coalition, we demand similar sanctions against all security forces who use violence against journalists.
Three police officers, who viciously attacked former Bianet correspondent Beyza Kural Yılancı, were sued over the charges of "violation of the freedom of work and labour". The first hearing will be held on June 23, 2021, at the Istanbul 3rd Criminal Court of First Instance.
Bianet reporter Beyza Kural, who followed the demonstration of students in Istanbul University on November 5, 2015, was subjected to police violence during the protest. Despite showing her press card, the police threatened Beyza saying that "Nothing is the same as before; we will teach you this". Beyza Kural, who was detained with reverse handcuffs, was removed from the scene and was released due to the lack of space in the custody vehicle.
Six years later, The Constitutional Court (AYM) ruled that the police committed a crime over the extreme violence they used against the journalist on February 18. The court also emphasized that Beyza was exposed to the mistreatment of the police and stated her freedom of expression was also violated. The high court decided 15 thousand TL in compensation to pay Beyza for the violation she faced.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the investigation and the case filed against three police officers. We demand similar interrogations from Turkish authorities to all security forces who attacked our colleagues in the field. The basic cornerstone of journalism is to follow the news and to cover the following developments to the public. None of the journalists can be subjected to violence or prevented due to their professional coverage. Journalism is not a crime.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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