NİMET ÖLMEZ
Journalist Rabia Önver, who works for JINNEWS, gave a statement at the Van Police Department after a police raid on her home in Hakkari on September 20. The raid and seizure of her digital equipment were reportedly linked to her investigative reports on sex work and drug trafficking in the region. The Hakkari Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into Önver, accusing her of "publicly spreading misleading information" under the so-called "censorship law."
Despite her previous attempt to provide a statement at the Hakkari Prosecutor’s Office, she was not heard until today, when she appeared with her lawyers, Mehtap Işık and Jiyan Özkaplan, to give her testimony in Van. The charges stem from Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, which addresses the dissemination of misleading information.
Önver defends her reporting
In her statement, Önver explained the basis for her reporting: “I have been working as a journalist at JINNEWS for about five years. I did not produce this news out of my own imagination. I reported it based on information given to me by families. I believe this investigation is an attempt to silence the free press.”
Protest and press statement restricted
In support of Rabia Önver, many journalists, civil society organizations, and political party representatives gathered outside the police station. However, the authorities tried to block a planned press statement, citing a five-day ban on demonstrations and public gatherings in Van, imposed by the governor’s office from October 9 to 13 due to a planned "Freedom Rally" in Diyarbakır by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
Despite police efforts to stop the gathering, a press statement was eventually held outside the Van Bar Association. Journalists and DEM Party representatives, including MPs Zülküf Uçar, Gülcan Kaçmaz Sağyiğit, and Mahmut Dindar, were present to show their support.
Lawyers and journalists decry the investigation
Speaking at the press conference, lawyer Jiyan Özkaplan condemned the investigation as baseless and an attempt to obstruct journalism. Rabia Önver reiterated her commitment to reporting the truth, saying, “This investigation was launched to silence the free press and block our news, but we will not back down. As the free press, we will continue to report on what’s happening in society.”
JINNEWS reporter Öznur Değer also expressed her concerns: “We are witnessing attempts to silence the truth. It is not the perpetrators of the crime but our journalist colleague who is being prosecuted. Rabia represents the truth, and no investigation or detention can prevent our reporting.”
This case has drawn significant attention, as it highlights ongoing pressures on independent journalists in Turkey, particularly those reporting on sensitive topics like corruption, organized crime, and human rights abuses.
