JINHA

MÊRDÎN – Zehra Doğan, editor for JINHA, was jailed after covering the “curfew” imposed in Nusaybin. All the witnesses’ testimony against her for the crime of “membership in an illegal organization” is related to her journalism.

For months, JINHA editor Zehra Doğan covered the news in the district of Nusaybin, in Mardin province, where a 24-hour curfew was declared starting March 13. On the evening of July 21, as Zehra sat in a café with colleagues, police told her that there was “testimony against her” and arrested her.

Zehra was taken to the Nusaybin police station, where she was interrogated, sent to the court on duty, and placed in pre-trial detention on charges of “membership in an illegal organization.” The office of the Nusaybin Chief Public Prosecutor sent a summary of the proceedings to the Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor. In the summary, witnesses confirm that Zehra was engaged in reporting in Nusaybin. The witnesses clearly state that they saw Zehra with a video camera in her hand, taking footage. One witness states, “She must be a journalist; I saw her taking photos and footage.” Another states, “She was taking photos and doing interviews in Giremira.”

The prosecutor decided that statements by witnesses attesting that Zehra was likely a journalist were sufficient to charge her with “membership in an illegal organization.” The summary of proceedings continues: “It is clearly above suspicion that sufficient evidence has been acquired that she is part of the illegal organization’s hierarchical structure and is thus a member of an illegal organization.”

The statement of charges against Zehra is expected to be released by the Mardin Assize Court in the coming days.

(gc/fk/cm)