Turkiye: Police Detain 6 Kurdish Media Workers in Izmir
Journalists being held at anti-terror unit
Location: Turkiye, Izmir
Date: February 13, 2024Updated; February 16, 2024
Women Press Freedom stands firmly against the recent detentions of journalists and arrests of press workers in Izmir, Turkiye, highlighting a continuing and concerning trend of press suppression under the guise of anti-terrorism efforts. On February 13, 2024, a series of unjustified police raids targeted journalists Semra Turan, Delal Akyüz, Tolga Güney, Melike Aydın, Cihan Başakçıoğlu, and press officer Fatma Funda Akbulut. Associated with Kurdish news outlets and democratic party press operations, the women have been subjected to arbitrary detention at the anti-terror police branch in Çankaya and are facing charges for “membership of a terrorist organization.” This incident is not isolated but part of a distressing pattern observed over recent days and years, where Kurdish journalists and those covering sensitive topics face systemic harassment. Melike Aydın, previously detained on unfounded terror-related charges, represents a clear example of the ongoing legal harassment against voices daring to report on Kurdish politics and issues of significant public interest. We demand that Turkish authorities drop all unsubstantiated charges, release the detainees, and cease the use of anti-terror legislation as a tool to intimidate and silence journalists. The persistent targeting of Kurdish media and journalists for their legitimate work is unacceptable.
On the morning of February 13, 2024, police raided the residences of numerous journalists in Izmir. Authorities detained journalists Semra Turan, Delal Akyüz, Tolga Güney from Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Melike Aydın from JIN News, and Cihan Başakçıoğlu from Gazete Duvar. Fatma Funda Akbulut, a press worker for the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), was also detained.
In 2019, JIN News’ Melike Aydın was held in pretrial detention for over 100 hundred days, accused of terror-related charges for her book on Kurdish politics. She was eventually acquitted of all charges in June 2021.
The journalists are under investigation for “membership of a terrorist organization,” according to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA). The affected journalists and DEM Party personnel were held at the Terrorism and Organized Crime (TEM) Branch in Çankaya.
On February 16, 2024, after four days behind bars, Melike Aydın, Fatma Funda Akbulu, Tolga Güney, and Delal Akyüz were put under house arrest, while Semra Turan and Cihan Başakçıoğlu were released under judicial control. All the journalists were issued a travel ban, and those not under house arrest must sign in at a police station twice a week
Adding to the distressing pattern of press suppression, mere days earlier, journalists Selamet Turan and Kibriye Evren were detained in similar raids. Turan was held for nearly four days without clarity on the charges against her. It was subsequently revealed that Turan was being accused of "membership in a terrorist organization." She is being held in jail pending trial. Journalist Kibriye Evren was detained in Kocaeli on allegations of "membership in a terrorist organization" and "providing finance to a terrorist organization" for sending money to her friend in prison in 2021. After three days in detention, she was released under judicial control.
Kurdish media outlets, such as JIN News and Mezopotamya Agency, and journalists serving the Kurdish population in Turkiye are constantly subjected to state persecution and restrictions. Documentation from Women Press Freedom reveals a clear trend of press violations against Kurdish journalists since 2019. Notably, Dicle Müftüoğlu, a respected Kurdish journalist and advocate for imprisoned journalists, was arrested on Press Freedom Day in 2023 and remains detained, facing ongoing legal harassment. Despite assertions of anti-terrorism measures, the truth is that Kurdish media outlets and journalists are frequently targeted by Turkish authorities for their reporting on issues relevant to their community or contributing to Kurdish language media outlets.
Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns these targeted detentions and arrests as blatant infringements on press freedom and human rights. This targeting of journalists not only infringes upon their liberties but also undermines the principles of democracy and transparency. Turkish authorities must be held accountable for their misuse of anti-terror legislation and the deployment of anti-terror police to silence and intimidate journalists. We demand the dropping of all charges against Semra Turan, Delal Akyüz, Tolga Güney, Melike Aydın, Cihan Başakçıoğlu, and Fatma Funda Akbulut.
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