Turkey: CFWIJ welcomes the release of Semiha Şahin and Pınar Gayib
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes the release two more female journalists in #Turkey. The editor Semiha Şahin and reporter Pınar Gayib from Etkin Haber Ajansı — ETHA News Agency, were released by the courts on condition of house arrest, after over fourteen months of imprisonment. The verdict came on the 13th of June 2019 by the 23rd İstanbul High Criminal Court.
The charges against Semiha Şahin were to be a member of a terrorist organization and making propaganda for the assumed terrorist group, though none of these charges showed evidence and have been called out as intimidating by journalists in Turkey. Pinar Gayib was only charged for making propaganda.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism spoke to Semiha Şahin after her release, and she told us, “Our posts on social media and our articles are considered as evidence for the accusations. We are not a member of any terrorist organizations or supporters. Our lawyers will take this case to the Human Rights Court”
During the last hearing, Şahin stated in her defense “The judicial reform strategy document, also expressed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in recent weeks, contained information about long detention and freedom of expression and thought. Those were the points that we have emphasized for a year and two months. I think that the accusation charges are against freedom of thought and expression. I am a journalist from the very beginning and I say that my work is not a crime. I demand my release.” as reported by a Turkish local media outlet, Bianet. After Şahin’s statement, Pınar Gayib too retaliated during the court hearing, “Our detention has been a year and two months-long. This is now a form of victimization. We have been trying to prove that we are doing journalism here for five hearings. Now we want our decision to come through.”
Semiha Şahin also told us, “The reason why we’ve been released after 14 months is the length of our imprisonment and the concern on an international level. The other reason is the high figures of journalists who are in jail nowadays. They’re trying to show that there is a decrease in the figures.” She told us that when they proposed a defense at the court, narrating the risk these accusations cause to free speech in general in the country, their words are not taken seriously. “Journalism is not a crime, and our works can not be regarded as an evidence for crime,” she said to us that her interest remains in the release of all imprisoned journalists in the country, and we at the Coalition For Women In Journalism support that. Imprisoning journalists is only an obstruction to free speech or journalism, but in fact it is a hurdle in the ability for a society to be at liberty.
With the release of Pınar Gayib and Semiha Şahin, the number of female journalists who have been released has become three.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism welcomes these releases, and urges the Turkish courts to release the rest of the journalist in prison, both men and women. A healthy and free press is a sign of a healthy and free society.
Press Contacts:
<Press@WomenInJournalism.org>
Nida Karra
Turkey and MENA Coordinator
<NKarra@WomenInJournalism.org>
Sulome Anderson
Advocacy Director
<Sulome.Anderson@WomenInJournalism.org>
