JinNews Reporter Öznur Değer Imprisoned in Turkey for Reporting on Kurdish Family Massacre

February 7, 2025 – Turkey –

Öznur Değer, a journalist for the Kurdish women’s news agency JinNews, was arrested during a police raid on her home in Mardin, Turkey. Authorities charged her with “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” based on her social media posts and journalistic work. Değer had previously reported on the 2021 massacre of seven members of the Dedeoğulları family in Konya, a case that garnered significant attention due to its ethnic implications. Her posts, such as “I am a Kurd too” and “Kurds are being massacred in Konya,” were cited as evidence against her, leading to an investigation for “inciting the public to hatred and hostility”.

Following her arrest, Değer was subjected to mistreatment and torture during the detention process. Despite these conditions, she remained steadfast in her commitment to press freedom, chanting “Free press cannot be silenced” as she was led away by authorities.

Değer’s case is part of a broader pattern of legal harassment against journalists in Turkey, particularly those reporting on Kurdish issues. According to the Coalition for Women in Journalism, 54% of legal cases against women journalists in Turkey since 2019 involve accusations of terrorism, with 78% of these cases targeting Kurdish journalists or those working for the Kurdish press.

International human rights organizations have condemned Değer’s imprisonment, calling it a violation of press freedom and an attempt to silence dissenting voices. Her case underscores the challenges faced by journalists in Turkey, where reporting on sensitive topics can lead to legal repercussions and imprisonment.

As of May 21, 2025, Öznur Değer was released from pretrial detention during the first hearing of her trial at the Mardin 2nd High Criminal Court. While she awaits the next phase of her legal proceedings, her case continues to draw attention to the ongoing struggles for press freedom in Turkey

Reference – 

https://fom.coe.int/en/alerte/detail/107642166;globalSearch=false

‘JinNews’ reporter Öznur Değer under investigation for reporting on massacre of Kurdish family

https://anfenglish.com/freedom-of-the-press/jinnews-reporter-Oznur-deger-sent-to-prison-77833