Turkey: Travel Restrictions On Hatice Şahin Remain In Place As Seventh Hearing Of Terror-Related Case Adjourns
Location: Turkey, Diyarbakır
Date: January 26, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The seventh hearing of the terror-related case against Hatice Şahin, editor of Yeni Yaşam newspaper, adjourned on Wednesday. Deciding to continue the travel restrictions imposed on the journalist in 2018, the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court adjourned the hearing till April 18, 2022. Charged with being a member of a terrorist organization, Hatice faces up to 15 years in prison.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the weaponization of the country’s anti-terrorism laws against critical journalists. Prolonged trials where the process becomes the punishment are a deplorable method to intimidate journalists into silence.
An investigation was launched against Hatice by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on October 9, 2018, and the police subsequently raided her home on October 18, 2018. She was briefly detained after the raid as part of the investigation. The police also seized Hatice’s belongings and electronic devices during the raid.
On October 23, 2020, Hatice was indicted for participation in the organizational actions of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK). The journalist's travels between Istanbul and Diyarbakır during September and December 2017 and her membership of the Free Women Congress Association were cited as evidence against her as were her phone conversations with news sources.
At Wednesday's hearing, the court decided to wait for the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office’s reply on the court’s request for a copy of Derya Aslan’s statement and adjourned the hearing till April 18, 2022. Derya is a suspect in another case, which has been deemed as linked to Hatice’s case. The previous hearing, held on October 11, 2021, was also adjourned for the same reason.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism has closely followed Hatice Şahin’s case and is extremely concerned over the charges against her. We have observed a pattern of legal harassment of journalists in the country, which does not bode well for any democracy. The persistent targeting of journalists under the country’s anti-terrorism laws is condemnable and an apparent infringement on press freedom. In 2022, thus far, the CFWIJ has reported on separate trials of nine women journalists. We view these cases as attempts to intimidate critical journalists and force them into submission. The CFWIJ reiterates that journalism is not a crime. Members of the press must be free to report without fear of retaliation from the state.
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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