Journalists Union of Turkey Sends Books to Imprisoned Women Journalists

* Photo: Pınar Gayıp / ETHA

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The Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) Women and LGBTI+ Commission has sent books to the imprisoned women journalists as part of its campaign.

The Commission previously launched a campaign to collect books to be sent to the women journalists behind bars. The members of the commission have started sending books to the journalists as of yesterday (February 10).

'Journalists are arrested all across the country'

Gathering in front of Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison in İstanbul yesterday, women journalists first held a statement for the press, then delivered the collected books to the prison via the lawyers of the TGS.

Reading out the statement, TGS İstanbul Chair Banu Tuna said:

"As the Journalists Union of Turkey Women's and LGBTI+ Commission, we are here today to express solidarity with our colleagues in prison and to tell them that they are not forgotten.

"There are 85 journalists in prisons in Turkey. In prisons of Bakırköy, Silivri, Şakran, Sincan, Tarsus, Metris, Kandıra, Elbistan, Antep, Kütahya and Balıkesir, all across the country, there are 85 journalists deprived of their freedom because they did their job.

"It is alleged that they are members of an [illegal/terrorist] organization, they attempted to change the Constitutional order by force, they insulted the President or incited the public to enmity and hatred. Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Sadiye Eser, who was arrested on December 3, 2019, is one of our 85 colleagues and she is also behind these walls here.

'We will send the books to İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir'

"Wherever there were women's or workers' protest demonstrations, wherever there were news to report on violations of rights, you could see Sadiye there. Those demonstrations and statements that she followed were then cited as criminal evidence in the indictment filed against her. The Kurdish songs that she listened were added to her file. In the last social media messages that she shared, she was constantly saying, 'Journalism is not a crime.' Today, we are repeating it for her: Journalism is not a crime!

"The lawyers of our union visit our colleagues in prisons. One of the needs expressed during those visits was the lack of books. We, as the Women's and LGBTI+ Commission, has launched a book campaign. We will send the collected books to our colleagues arrested in İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir. We will not leave them alone until they are free again."

The lawyers of the TGS entered Bakırköy Prison following this statement and delivered the books to the prison officers. (EMK/SD)