October 30, 2023

30.10.2023 – Kurdish Journalist Nafiye Bal Detained And Then Released

Nafiye Bal, an editor with the Kurdish-language weekly newspaper Xwebûn (https://xwebun1.org/), was subjected to a home raid and detained on 23 October 2023. Allegedly this arrest is linked to an investigation initiated in 21 cities in April 2023, based on statements provided by a witness. Bal’s detention led her to the Provincial Police Department in Diyarbakır, Türkiye / Turkey where the police investigation started. After the police questioned her, she was released on 24 October, but she got an international travel ban

Xwebûn is a Kurdish-language weekly newspaper, founded in 2019, and has a print and online edition.

The arrest of Kurdish journalists in Türkiye / Turkey is a recurring issue, often entailing trials related to alleged ties with the in Türkiye / Turkey and numerous countries forbidden and listed as a terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Most frequently, these journalists find themselves facing terrorism-related charges.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is monitoring this case.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

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