CFWIJ's Press Freedom Status For Women Journalists: February 2022

Throughout the month of February 2022, the Coalition For Women In Journalism documented 33 cases of violations against women journalists. These included detentions, legal harassment and physical assaults in the field, among other attacks on press freedom and women journalists reporting from different parts of the world.

Moreover, the CFWIJ kept close watch on tensions in the Eastern European region, which surmounted after Russia launched a full-scale military invasion into Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The violence and aggression put many of our colleagues in both the countries at risk as journalists strived to bring accurate information to citizens and the international community at large. As truth is often among the first casualties of war, we compiled a list of resources for those in search of credible reporting as well as safety guidelines for journalists reporting from the frontlines of war. To assist newsrooms across the globe, we also put together a list of women journalists on the ground. Independent journalists and newsrooms in Ukraine, Russia and the surrounding region need our support now more than ever. To join the call of the CFWIJ and 84 other organizations for their safety and protection sign our petition here. 

Furthermore, the CFWIJ continued its work on evacuation and support for Afghan refugees and managed to assist 320 people evading the country. 

Even in countries with apparent peace, the month of February 2022 was a difficult one for women journalists and the independent press, as our findings indicate. We witnessed killings and imprisonments, oppressive laws and extensive legal harassment of journalists, in varying capacities, all around the world. Read on for more details on violations against women journalists this month.

One woman journalist was killed

• Mexico: Michelle Perez Tadeo, known as Michell Simon, a television host and a model, was reported missing for three days before her body was found on February 22, by firemen on duty in the capital, Mexico City. She was the sixth journalist to be found dead in the country in the past two months. Learn more about the case.

One woman journalist was imprisoned

• Turkey: Journalist Hülya Kılınç was jailed for one day before being released on February 16 over her report on the funeral of an intelligence officer killed in Libya. Details available here.

Two women journalists handed prison terms 

• Turkey: Journalist Selda Manduz was handed a suspended sentence of 18 months in prison on the charge of “spreading terrorist propaganda” by the Turkish court of appeals, which overruled Selda’s acquittal on the same charge, following the prosecutor’s appeal for her conviction. Read our detailed coverage.

• Turkey: A court in Diyarbakır handed a suspended sentence of one year, six months and 22 days in prison to journalist Durket Süren on charges of "making terror propaganda" in a case related to her journalistic activities. Continue reading for details. 

One woman journalist was threatened

• Russia: Journalist Elena Milashina was forced to flee the country after repeated threats from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Read our complete report on the issue.

   

Four women journalists were detained in relation to their work

• Azerbaijan: Journalists Fatima Mövlamli, Sevinj Sadygova and their male colleague Teymur Karimov were forcibly taken by the police covering a protest in the capital. They were detained for hours at a police station, where they were beaten and questioned before being released. Find out more

• Turkey: Counter-terrorism officials raided journalist Nurcan Yalçın’s house early morning on February 4 and arrested her without cause. The journalist was later released. Click here for details.

• Turkey: Police officials raided Mesopotamia Agency’s (MA) reporter Zeynep Durgut’s house in Şırnak early on February 14 and took her into custody. She was released after four days in prison. Further details available here.

11 women journalists are facing criminal lawsuits

• India: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a fiscal probe against journalist Rana Ayyub, alleging that she misappropriated funds collected for Covid-19 relief through the Indian crowdfunding platform Ketto. Read the full report.

• Turkey: Journalist Sultan Eylem Keleş was sued for reporting on protests by workers of a private company BIMEKS in September 2020. The first hearing of the case against Sultan will be held on September 13, 2022, in İstanbul. Continue reading

• Turkey: The İstanbul Police Chief filed a criminal lawsuit against journalist Seyhan Avşar on charges of “insult and slander” after she reported on the alleged corruption of businessman Tuncay Çapraz and the police.

• Turkey: Hazal Ocak, Olcay Büyüktaş Akça and two other journalists continue to face trial for a report published in Cumhuriyet newspaper in 2021. Read our detailed report

• Turkey: A court in İzmir acquitted Mesopotamia Agency reporter Ruken Demir in a terror-related case this month, ending a legal ordeal that spanned for over two years. Read more.

• Turkey: The fourth hearing of the case against Jiyan News chief editor, Sonya Bayık, was held on February 10. The journalist faces trial on charges of "participating in banned gatherings” for reporting a protest against the flooding of Hasankeyf. Find out more

• Turkey: Journalists İsminaz Temel and Havva Cuştan continue to face trial on terror-related charges in a case that criminalizes their journalistic activities. Continue reading for details

• Turkey: The eighth hearing of the case against veteran journalist Sedef Kabaş and 38 others for “defying law on the capital market” and “attempting to destabilize the economy” was held on February 22. Sedef could not appear to defend herself at the hearing as she has been imprisoned for more than a month in a relation to a separate case. Read the detailed case report.

• Turkey: The trial of former managing editor Reyhan Çapan and other Özgür Gündem newspaper’s staffers for reporting about “self-governance” in Kurdish provinces continued this month with the 22nd hearing adjourned indefinitely. Find out more about the case.

• Turkey: The 15th hearing of the trial against journalist Kibriye Evren on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization and spreading terrorist propaganda was held in Diyarbakır. Further details are available here.

Three women journalists were confronted with civil lawsuits 

• Turkey: The seventh hearing of Sözcü columnist Çiğdem Toker’s trial was held in İstanbul. The journalist faces a lawsuit filed in retaliation to Çiğdem’s article in Sözcü newspaper, which revealed budgetary reports of the Istanbul Municipality. Read our coverage.

• Turkey: Demirören Media Group filed a defamation lawsuit demanding 20 thousand Turkish Liras against Canan Kaya, Medya Koridor’s editor-in-chief, for her journalistic coverage. Find the detailed report.

• Turkey: The fourth hearing of the defamation case against journalist Hazal Ocak with a demand for compensation of 200 thousand TL was held in İstanbul. Click here to read the detailed report.

One journalist was harassed in the field

• Canada: Journalist Kylie Stanton, associated with Global News, was harassed in the field during the truckers’ protest. In a video she posted on Twitter, it is apparent that a man and a woman can be seen following her. Read the details

   

One journalist was physically assaulted but was not injured

• Turkey: Journalist Zeynep Kuray was deliberately targeted and prevented from filming the Peoples' Democratic Party’s (HDP) demonstration in İstanbul. Learn more.

   

Seven women journalists faced an organized hate campaign on the internet

• Canada: Journalist Brandi Morin, known for her coverage of the concerns of Indigenous peoples in Canada, was on the receiving end of a vile abuse campaign. We covered the case here.

• Canada: Edmonton Journal and Edmonton Sun reporter Anna Junker was sent vile and abusive hate emails from a suspicious email account. Find out more.

• Canada: Journalist Abigail Bimman was on the receiving end of a vile and anti-semitic campaign, which targeted her via email and on social media platforms. Click here for more details.

• Canada: At least three women journalists, including Marsha Lederman and Melissa Martin were targeted with a vile and hateful online campaign. The journalists took to Twitter to reveal the abuse and threat they have been consistently receiving. Read the full coverage.

• Pakistan: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) failed to act on complaints filed by Gharidah Farooqi about the persistent online harassment she faces. Details are available here.

One journalist faced online bullying

• Northern Ireland: Suzanne Breen, a senior journalist at Belfast Telegraph, was targeted by vile online abuse after sharing her 10-year-old daughter’s picture on her social media account. Access the detailed report here.

Download PDF Report

Cover Photo: Killed Journalist Michelle Perez Tadeo