Deniz Tekin
Journalist Zeynep Durgut and 17 women appeared before a judge, facing charges related to a demonstration covering violence against women. The judge unexpectedly asked Durgut, who reported being obstructed and assaulted by the police during her coverage, "Have you ever been subjected to any kind of male violence before?"
Seventeen women, including Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Zeynep Durgut, were detained in Şırnak while attempting to make a statement for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The first hearing of their case, accusing them of opposing the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations No. 2911, was held at the Şırnak Criminal Court of First Instance. Journalist Zeynep Durgut, along with five other defendants and their attorneys, attended the hearing. Initially, journalists were denied entry to the courtroom due to space limitations, but were later admitted after objections from Durgut and her attorney.
"I couldn't understand the police announcement to disperse because I don't speak Turkish"
Defendants Ayşe Külter, Bedriye Katar, Hatice Uyar, and Kadriye, who do not speak Turkish, made their defense statements in Kurdish through an interpreter. They claimed they didn't understand the Turkish police announcement to disperse, as they were unaware of the Şırnak Governorate's meeting and demonstration ban due to their lack of Turkish language skills. The women described attending the November 25 event but being barricaded, assaulted, and detained by the police without resistance.
Zilan Yaman testified that the police encircled the women and prevented them from dispersing, deliberately assaulting them.
Durgut: Despite knowing we were journalists, the police tried to confiscate my camera
Reporter Zeynep Durgut, in her defense, reminded that women worldwide protest against violence against women every November 25. "Unfortunately, the women who wanted to protest violence against women were themselves subjected to violence there," she said. The judge interrupted Durgut, asking her to focus her defense on the charges against her and not on the day's significance. Durgut explained that as a journalist, she was covering the women's statement when the police, knowing they were journalists, tried to seize their cameras and prevent them from filming. She detailed how she, along with her journalist colleagues, was handcuffed from behind and detained, hindering their journalistic activity and violating the public's right to information. Durgut also described being subjected to insults and violence in the police vehicle and having her camera and tripod broken.
The judge then asked Durgut, "Have you ever been subjected to any kind of male violence before? I'm asking this outside the scope of the case." Confused by the question, Durgut replied she didn't understand, to which the judge responded, "Never mind, I'll ask after the hearing."
Continuing her defense, Durgut stated, "We were the victims there. Instead of investigating those who committed violence against us and hindered our work, we are being prosecuted. I didn't hear the police's dispersal announcement. I am a journalist; I was there to do my job. Why should I leave? Despite declaring my journalist status, I was treated like a protester."
"If the complaints we filed had resulted in cases, the police would not have applied this violence"
Durgut's and four other defendants' attorney, Samet Ataman, then spoke, questioning why an investigation was initiated and an indictment prepared against the women's statement. He asked whether the court would consider the constitutional provision or a governor's instruction influenced by the government. Ataman highlighted that the law in question exists to allow people to express their grievances and demands. He pointed out that the governorate bans meetings and demonstrations on days important to Kurds, noting that a ruling party (AKP) event the day before was not intervened by the police, implying selective application of the bans.
Showing photos of the detained women being subjected to police violence to the judge, Ataman stated, "If the complaints we filed against the police who applied this violence had resulted in cases, those who participated in the statement would not have faced this police brutality. The police knew my client Zeynep Durgut. They intervened knowingly and intentionally."
Highlighting that the prosecutor who prepared the indictment and the trial prosecutor were the same person, Ataman predicted the prosecutor would seek punishment for his clients.
After the attorneys’ defenses, the prosecutor requested the correction of deficiencies in the case file. The judge decided to take statements from the five defendants not yet heard through written communication and adjourned the case to June 27.
Background
On November 25 in Şırnak, police intervened in a statement made by women in Ömer Kabak Square for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Police detained 21 people, including Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Zeynep Durgut and Ömer Akın and JINNEWS reporter Rozerin Gültekin. The detained journalists' tripods and cameras were broken. All detainees were released the same day after giving statements.
The Şırnak Chief Public Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment against journalist Zeynep Durgut and others for "participating in an illegal meeting and demonstration without dispersing despite warnings." The prosecutors dismissed charges against reporters Ömer Akın and Rozerin Gültekin.
The indictment stated that the Şırnak Governorate had banned all meetings, demonstrations, marches, and press statements in the city for seven days, from November 22 to 28, 2023. The indictment did not include medical reports or statements showing the women, including Durgut, were subjected to police violence at the time of their detention. It claimed the police intervention was proportionate and did not acknowledge that Durgut was a journalist covering the event. It was argued that the women participated in the November 25 event and did not disperse despite warnings, leading to the termination of the demonstration by force.
