The Coalition For Women In Journalism has shared its latest report on the oppression of female journalists around the world. Currently there are 48 female journalists in prison. Coalition member Ceren Iskit said that “female journalists are under pressure in the field and in the media due to gender inequality, and Turkey is among the countries where the situation is especially bad for women”.
Iskit also emphasised that the rights violations experienced by female journalists in prison have increased during the coronavirus pandemic. “The latest example is the case of Şehriban Abi and Nazan Sala, two Kurdish journalists who were sent to prison in October 2020 for their work in exposing the truth about the Kurdish villagers who were thrown from a military helicopter by Turkish soldiers in Van”, said Ceren Iskit.
“They were kept in quarantine in the men’s ward for 14 days because of the coronavirus pandemic”, said Iskit, who also pointed out that even letters were not delivered to the prisoners.
Regarding International Women’s Day on 8 March Iskit said, “First of all, I celebrate 8 March in the name of all female journalists who work under difficult conditions. I believe that we are much stronger together. If we stand shoulder to shoulder against the patriarchal system and discrimination we will change the world”.
