Court orders release of Kurdish journalist Beritan Canözer

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JİNNEWS reporter Beritan Canözer has been granted release, following her detention on April 25 as part of an investigation initiated by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which resulted in the detention of more than 100 people, including journalists, lawyers and political party members.

Canözer, along with four other Kurdish colleagues, was arrested on allegations of "being a member of a terrorist organization." The Diyarbakır 10th Heavy Penal Court accepted the indictment related to the investigation.

After a review of her detention, the court decided to release Canözer under judicial supervision. The court's decision took into consideration factors such as the state of evidence in the case, the potential for a change in the nature and qualification of the alleged crime, and the lack of concrete evidence suggesting flight or tampering with evidence.

Canözer's release is expected to take place following the delivery of the court's decision to the prison.

In the past year, dozens of individuals working for Kurdish media outlets have been subjected to house raids and detained on "terrorism"-related charges. Currently, more than 20 of them are remanded in custody.

About Beritan Canözer

Beritan Canözer is a journalist working for JinNews, a news agency that focuses on women and queer issues. Over the past years, she has faced several incidents, including home raids, detentions, arrests, and trials.

One notable incident occurred on December 16, 2015, when she was detained after participating in a protest against the "curfew" imposed in Diyarbakır's Sur district. She was subsequently arrested based on social media posts and news articles.

After spending 123 days in custody, Canözer was eventually released on March 26, 2016. However, she was later sentenced to one year and three months in prison, a verdict that was overturned by the Court of Cassation, leading to her acquittal.

In 2018, she faced another investigation initiated by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, but was ultimately acquitted of the "membership in an organization" charge.

In 2020, Canözer received a one-year, ten-month, and fifteen-day prison sentence for "making terrorist propaganda." The charges were based on her Twitter and Facebook posts from 2013 to 2016, as well as comments she made on four different posts.

Additionally, in 2022, Canözer was tried for sharing news and photos related to YPG/YPJ on a Twitter account that was not hers. Consequently, she was sentenced to three years, one month, and fifteen days in prison. (EMK/VK)