Journalist Beritan Canözer released after three days in detention

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Detained at home during a police raid on August 13, JinNews reporter Beritan Canözer was released yesterday (August 16).

She was one of the 88 people whose detention was ordered by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office as part of an investigation for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization," according to a report by Mesopotamia Agency (MA).

On August 13, some 58 people were detained during raids on 104 locations. Journalists Canözer and Kadir Bayram were among them.

Canözer was released after testifying at the security directorate. The details of the information could not be reached due to a confidentiality order, MA reported.

In December 2015, Canözer was detained while following a demonstration in Diyarbakır. She was held in detention at the Anti-Terror Branch for four days. Police had later stated that she was detained on "reasonable suspicion" as she looked "excited."

In May 2016, Canözer was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months in prison for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" because of the notes she had taken for her news articles and social media posts and of "guiding the crowd" during the demonstration in December 2015.

In June 2020, Özer was sentenced to 1 year, 10 months and 15 days in prison, again for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization," because of four comments and one like on social media.

Canözer was also detained on April 5 during a raid in his home and was released three days later.

She was granted the Special Jury Award at the 19th Metin Göktepe Journalism Awards. (KÖ/VK)