Turkey: Journalist Aslihan Gençay Denied Early Release From Prison After She Refused A Strip Search.
Location: Turkey, Sivas
Date: November 6, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
Turkish Journalist Aslıhan Gençay has been incarcerated for four years on terror charges. Aslihan was set to be released early for good behaviour, though after refusing a strip search, she has been denied release. As a consequence, she could face another year added to her sentence. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this humiliating request against the journalist and demands Turkish authorities for an immediate release.
Aslıhan was transferred to an open prison in the province of Sivas from her facility in Kayseri. Such transfers are common for prisoners who are up for supervised release. Upon her arrival at Sivas, Aslıhan complied with the standard prison search, but questioned the reasoning behind the request for a strip search. The invasive search demands that inmates drop to the ground and stand back up, while naked, three times. Her inquiry led to her being punished by prison authorities, landing her in solitary confinement for three days. An investigation was launched by said authorities over the journalist’s alleged “insulting, threatening and obstruction of duty.”
The following day, Aslıhan was able to meet with the prison warden to discuss the matter. The warden claimed to have filed an investigation into the guards and stated that had he been present, the incident in question would not have happened.
In their statement, the guards claim that upon their search request, Aslıhan threatened them by stating she was a journalist and would take their request for a strip search public. They continued to say that Aslıhan stated she was a terrorist, and would tell her organization about the incident. Aslıhan’s lawyer, Tugay Bek, attests that the journalist made no such statements, she merely asked for the reasoning behind the strip search and whether or not it was legal.
When speaking to CFWIJ, Aslıhan’s lawyer, Tugay Bek, said “Aslıhan was behaving well and that is why she was transferred to the open prison before her release. Could anyone threatening someone by saying ‘I am the terror’ be realistic in conditions such as Aslıhan’s? On the other hand, nobody ever says ‘I am the terror’ when they define themselves as a member of a terrorist organization. They define that ‘I am a member of an organization’. It is their opponents who see someone as a terrorist. It turns out that these claims are actually not true.” Stating that other convicts were also requested to be strip searched, Bek said “The investigation was imposed with completely false statements”
The guards that filed the complaint against Aslıhan were set to testify before the judge on November 5th. While the prison warden admitted that he believed the judge would overturn the decision to extend Aslıhan’s sentence, Bek does not anticipate the guards will recant their statement.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the humiliating treatment of Aslıhan Gençay and demands an immediate release. These disgraceful practices are simply part of a system of intimidation. Such treatments are undignified and intolerable. ... The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org
The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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