Journalist Şehriban Alkış and six women activists sentenced to 8 months and 10 days of imprisonment for “prevention of public duty.” Sentences given to five defendants who did not accept the deferral of the sentence, including Alkış, were commuted to judicial fines of TL 5,000

CANSU PİŞKİN, İSTANBUL

The ninth hearing in the trial of journalist Şehriban Alkış and six other defendants on charges of “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations,” “prevention of public duty,” “preventing the activities of a public institution” and “damaging public property” was held at the İstanbul 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance on 14 November 2023.

P24 monitored the hearing, where Alkış and four of the other defendants, as well as their lawyers were present.

The prosecutor repeated their final opinion on the case that was submitted at the hearing on 11 July 2023 and requested sentencing for Alkış and six other defendants for “prevention of public duty” and “preventing the activities of a public institution.”

The prosecutor requested that all defendants be acquitted of “damaging public property” for lack of evidence and of “violating the Law No. 2911” as the elements of the impugned crime did not exist.

“I am being tried as a defendant, whereas I should be a witness”

Delivering her statement in response to the prosecutor's final opinion, Alkış said, “I was there as a journalist to cover the demonstration held by women and the LGBTI+ society. Law enforcement prevented me from performing my duty. I am being tried as a defendant, whereas I should be a witness. I request my acquittal.”

The four other defendants also rejected the charges and requested their acquittal. In their statements, lawyers for the defendants pointed out that the material and criminal intent elements of the impugned crimes did not exist and requested the acquittal of their clients.

Rendering its judgment at the end of the hearing, the court sentenced all seven defendants to 8 months and 10 days of imprisonment each for “prevention of public duty.” The court commuted the sentences of Alkış and four other defendants to a judicial fine of TL 5,000 because they did not accept the deferment of their sentences. The court acquitted all defendants of “violating the Law No. 2911,” “preventing the activities of a public institution” and “damaging property” because the elements of the alleged offenses were not present.

Background of the case

Six women and LGBTI+ activists from the Kırkyama and Feminamfi groups staged a demonstration on 7 July 2020 against the annulment of the Istanbul Convention. They went to the İstanbul Provincial Directorate of Family, Labor and Social Services and put up a banner that read “Enough is enough: Women Demand Safety of Life.” Alkış, who was there to cover the protest, and the demonstrators were first locked up in a room by the police, and then assaulted and detained.