Turkey: CFWIJ Demands Justice For The Journalist Beyza Kural's Case
Location: Turkey, İstanbul
Date: September 24, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The second hearing of the trial for three police officers who viciously and deliberately attacked reporter Beyza Kural Yılancı on charges of "violating freedom of work and profession" was held today in İstanbul.
None of the police officers attended the hearing. The court ruled that the accused police officer, who was abroad, should be suspended from the trial and the other officer be heard by Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS) in the next hearing. The next hearing was adjourned until December 10, 2021. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) demands the Turkish judiciary to impose the necessary criminal sanctions against the police officers for violating the journalist's right to report.
The second hearing of three police officers who forcibly detained former Bianet reporter Beyza Kural by wearing reverse handcuffs during her news coverage in 2015, was held today at the Istanbul 32nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
While none of the accused police officers attended the hearing, journalist Beyza Kural and her lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu were present in the courtroom. Today, the lawyer of the police informed the court that police officer Y.Ş. was working abroad and demanded that he be suspended from the hearings. Lawyer Eyüboğlu requested the court board be informed in a statement that Y.Ş. is living abroad on purpose. The prosecutor also demanded the objection of the defendant Y.Ş.'s request to be kept in custody. The court, on the other hand, ruled Y.Ş. should be excluded from the hearing. Also, the other police officer N.D. would be heard by SEGBİS at the next hearing. The next hearing was adjourned until December 10, 2021.
Making a statement on the course of the case, "For journalists who faced similar situations and filed complaints, facing a danger of impunity,” Beyza said on Twitter.
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. He said, "Nothing is the same as before; we will teach you this". Beyza, who was detained with reverse handcuffs, was dragged out 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 closely follows the case and expresses solidarity with Beyza. We demand the Turkish judiciary to fairly approach the trial process and to give the necessary punishment to the police officers who are prosecuted.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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