Report: Turkey among top three countries in violence towards women journalists in May

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) recorded 70 incidents of violence, including murder, abduction, detentions and attacks, towards women journalists in May.

The three countries with the most cases were Belarus, Palestine and Turkey, according to the report published today (June 1).

The CFWIJ reported the following incidents in Turkey:

• Journalists who followed May 1 Labor Day events across Turkey were prevented by the police. Their equipment was damaged and they were battered. At least four women journalists were subjected to police intervention while covering the events. 

• Journalists Derya Saadet and Fatoş Erdoğan were prevented by police while covering student demonstrations against Israeli attacks in Palestine. 

• Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Ceylan Şahinli was detained while following the May 1 Labour Day event in Ankara. 

• The first hearing of the trial against Roza Metina, the Kurdish editor of Jin News, was held in Diyarbakır. The court ordered the prosecutor's office to file its opinion and postponed the next hearing to September 14, 2021.

During the month of May 2021, The Coalition For Women In Journalism documented an astonishing 70 incidents of various kinds of violence towards women journalists. #CFWIJMayReport

Report: https://t.co/i353eRk6c2 pic.twitter.com/In4geU4zbx

— #WomenInJournalism (@CFWIJ) June 1, 2021

• The case against Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor İsminaz Temel and reporter Havva Cuştan on terror-related charges was yet again delayed based on technicalities.

• Habertürk TV presenter Ebru Baki was deliberately targeted with the organized trolling campaign after the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy İzzet Ulvi Yönter's statement. 

• Karel Valansi, the columnist of Şalom Newspaper, was targeted with antisemitic attacks by pro-govt media outlets after the Palestine conflicts. The journalist was also deliberately subjected to online smear campaigns after the publication of racist articles. 

• The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that the prohibition on the investigation of the Parliamentary Investigation Commission was a violation of rights. The court made this decision based on the application submitted by journalist Banu Güven. 

• The house arrest against Pınar Gayıp, a reporter for the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), was lifted on May 18. 

• The court acquitted journalist Melis Alphan from all the terror-related accusations. Read about the case. (CA/NÖ/VK)