ISTANBUL - Announcing its 3-month report on rights violations against women journalists, the MKGP stated that at least 18 women journalists were imprisoned for practicing their profession, and that they would not give up on bringing the society together with the truth despite all the pressures.

 

Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform (MKGP) announced its quarterly (January, February, March) report of rights violations against women journalists at a press conference at the Human Rights Association (İHD) Istanbul Branch. Photographs of imprisoned female journalists and banners "Free press cannot be silenced", "We are on the trail of the truth" and "They did not bow, we will not bow" were hung in the hall where the meeting was held.

 

Speaking at the meeting attended by women journalists, MGKP member Saliha Aras described the report they prepared as "Turkey's shame report". She said that the government has established a “mono-vocal” media, thus trying to prevent the truth. Aras said, “They are trying to attack the opposition media and the free press tradition. Our friends are detained and arrested. They are threatened with guns to their heads.”

 

'PRESSURE AND DETENTIONS DOES NOT MAKE US GIVE UP'

 

Drawing attention to the situation of journalists arrested in June and October, Aras stated that journalist Sema Korkmaz, an employee of Democratic Modernity magazine, was detained in a raid on her house this morning. Aras said: “As Kurdish women journalists and the successors of the Kurdish press tradition, we will continue to bring the society together with the truth by nullifying these pressures. We are trying to give a message with prints. But we are also aware of this message. Your pressures make our struggle even bigger. Our anger is growing even more. Pressure and detentıons does not make us give up." 

 

THE PRESS IN TURKEY

 

Later, the Kurdish version of the report was read by Durket Süren and the Turkish version was read by Meltem İnci. Journalist Meltem İnci, who stated that the freedom of press and expression is falling back day by day in Turkey, drew attention to the fact that the oppression and attacks did not stop during this 3-month period. Pointing to the 2022 data of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), İnci pointed out that Turkey ranks 149th among 180 countries in the ranking of freedom of press and expression. İnci said: “We journalists are unfortunately aware that these are only official data and that the reality is much more frightening. Our colleagues are exposed to much more pressure because they are women, dissidents or especially because of their identity as Kurdish journalists.”

 

Reminding that journalists were blocked, targeted and arrested after being attacked, İnci said: "16 journalists were arrested on June 16, 2022 in Amed(Diyarbakır) and their indictments were prepared 10 months later. The judicial process has been turned into torture. Undoubtedly, attacks against the press cannot be considered apart from sexism. The government, which is hostile to the gains and rights of women, targeted us women in the first three months of the new year and made it difficult for us to work in the field. Women were wanted to be surrounded in the field of media as well as in every field With the confiscation of our technical materials and the judicial process carried out against us.”

 

THE FIGHT FOR TRUTH WILL CONTINUE

 

Indicating that the painting is very heavy and dark, İnce continued: “Even though the painting is like this, we would like to repeat it once again; As long as there is an attack against nature, women, peoples, children, workers in short and whoever is referred to as the 'other', and until the good days we dream of come, we will not be able to give up our struggle for truth, whatever the cost."

 

The report included information that at least 18 female journalists were imprisoned in Turkey and Kurdistan.