Turkey: Trial Of Police Officers Who Used Violence Against Journalist Beyza Kural Adjourned With No Significant Progress
Location: Turkey, İstanbul
Date: December 10, 2021Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The third hearing of the trial for three police officers who viciously and deliberately attacked reporter Beyza Kural Yılancı was held today in İstanbul. The officers were tried on charges of "violating freedom of work and profession As, in the last hearing, none of the police officers attended the hearing today. The court adjourned the next hearing to March 11, 2022, and demanded that the missing elements of the case should be completed. CFWIJ demands from the Turkish authorities that the necessary criminal sanctions be imposed on police officers who violated the journalist's right to report and use force.
The third hearing of three police officers who forcibly detained former Bianet reporter Beyza Kural by wearing handcuffs during her news coverage in 2015, was held today at the Istanbul 32nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
While none of the police officers attended the hearing, journalist Beyza Kural and her lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu were present in the courtroom. According to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA), lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu demanded an arrest warrant be issued for the policeman N.D., who has not yet shown himself and gave his defense to the court. Meriç highlighted that despite the third hearing, the court has not taken the police officer's defense yet.
The defendants’ lawyer stated that the subpoena was served to the old address and said that the policemen will attend the next hearing.
Veysel Ok, lawyer of the Media and Legal Studies Association (MLSA) also demanded to be involved in the journalist’s trial as a victim. He said Beyza Kural is a member of the association and the organization must be a part of the trial. However, the prosecutor objected to this request and the court agreed with the prosecutor. The court ruled that the association was not directly harmed.
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 CFWIJ closely follows and monitors this significant case regarding press freedom. We extend our 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 police officers used force against journalist Beyza Kural and violated her right to report and must be punished related to those crimes.
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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