Turkish police have detained a journalist from the Jinnews agency, which run by women and publishes in Kurdish, and women’s rights activists following raids on various locations in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, according to local media reports.
Jinnews reporter Beritan Canözer was detained following a raid on her house in the Bağlar district of Diyarbakır in the early hours of Monday. The reason for the journalist’s detention was not immediately clear, but journalists working for Kurdish media outlets in Turkey are frequently accused of terrorism.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ), a New York- based non-profit organization, condemned the detention of Canözer, who has been the subject of frequent judicial harassment, and demanded her immediate release.
#Turkey: @jinnewsenglish reporter @bcanozerr’s was taken to custody during a raid of her house. Beritan has been constantly targeted by the Turkish state. #CFWIJ condemns this continued harassment of journalists without warrant, and demands her immediate release. pic.twitter.com/ZcoEEcVdpf
— #WomenInJournalism (@CFWIJ) April 5, 2021
Police detained more than 20 people including women’s rights activists, local politicians and rights activists in raids on the Rosa Women’s Association and other organizations.
In a message on its Twitter account, Rosa said it will never abandon its fight for the improvement of women’s rights. “We were here, we are here and will continue to be here,” tweeted the association.
The association’s premises had been raided by police on May 22, 2020, resulting in the detention and subsequent arrest of numerous women’s rights activists.
The most recent detentions come at a time when the Turkish government has been drawing heavy criticism due to its withdrawal from an international treaty, known as the Istanbul Convention, to combat domestic violence.