bianet editor Evrim Kepenek released after 'retweet' detention

Photos: Hikmet Adal/bianet

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bianet Women and LGBTI+ Rights Editor, Evrim Kepenek, was brought to the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan this morning, following her detention yesterday.

The police used metal handcuffs while escorting her inside the courthouse. Initially, the courthouse security tried to hinder journalists from filming, questioning their permission to do so, but later allowed the coverage to proceed.

Kepenek was among five journalists who were detained in house raids across three cities. While one journalist was arrested, three others were released, and Kepenek's case extended to today.

Kepenek provided her statement to the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which initiated the investigation, via video conference and was subsequently released.

Kepenek's testimony process began around 11:40. During the hearing at the courthouse, her lawyer, Meriç Eyüboğlu, stated that Kepenek has been a journalist for over 20 years, has a permanent residence, and is easily reachable. She said, "She cannot be accused due to another journalist's news, and the detention order is against the law."

Lawyer Ülkü Şahin also stated, "My client is a journalist, and she is being accused simply for retweeting another journalist's tweet." She further added that upon examining the case, it should result in a decision of non-prosecution as there is no evidence of a crime, and the social media post in question was part of journalistic activities.

After giving her statement, Kepenek was released with judicial supervision, which includes a monthly obligation to check in at a police station and an international travel ban.

After her release, Kepenek said, "I'm sorry for Turkey because I have experienced that retweeting can be considered a crime. Fırat Can Arslan's arrest for spreading newsworthy information is also shameful."

The investigation

The arrested journalist, Fırat Can Arslan, a reporter for Mezopotamya Agency (MA), had covered a separate case involving 18 Kurdish journalists accused of "terrorism." He reported on the issue of a judge and the prosecutor presiding over that trial being married and having their work locations changed after the initial hearing on July 12. As a result, Arslan was arrested on charges of "marking counterterrorism officials as a target." The information that Arslan reported on was publicly available through the website of the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK).

The other four journalists were detained for retweeting Arslan's report. Three of them, T24 news website reporter Sibel Yükler, MA reporter Delal Akyüz, and Evrim Deniz, were released with judicial supervision, while Kepenek's procedures were ongoing until today.

Representing Kepenek, Meriç Eyüboğlu, bianet's legal consultant, had criticized the situation, stating, "It is entirely arbitrary and illegal for a well-known journalist, who has been residing at the same address for years, whose workplace and phone number are publicly known, and who would have willingly gone to give a statement if invited, to be detained with a raid on her home and handcuffed, and then kept in custody overnight."

The detentions drew condemnation from various journalism groups, including the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS).

About Evrim Kepenek

Evrim Kepenek is the women and LGBTI+ rights editor at bianet. Specializing on women's issues, she is also one of the founding members of the Women and LGBTI+ Committee of the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS), and the current workplace representative of the TGS at bianet.

At bianet, she prepares the monthly Male Violence Monitoring Reports and contributes to news that highlights women, children, and LGBTI+ rights. She also writes the weekly "Women's Agenda" column.

During her career spanning over 20 years, Kepenek has worked for several outlets, including Cumhuriyet, BirGün, Taraf, DİHA, Jinha, Jin News and İMC TV. She is a founding writer of the Hemshin culture magazine GOR. She has contributed to several magazines and books. She is the recipient of the 2011 Musa Anter Journalism Award. (HA/VK)