Journalist Gunay: Female journalists fight tireless struggle

Female journalists do not surrender to the fascist regime of the Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party, and wage relentless struggle in Turkey and Kurdistan.  Despite intense pressure, torture and arrests, they continue to establish a media legacy and continuously develop this struggle.

 Spokeswoman for the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform and Editor (Women's News Agency) JINNEWS Aisha Günay spoke about the struggle of female journalists in Turkey, and indicated that JINNEWS was banned 21 times in 2021, and that there are 7 female journalists in prison in Turkey, whose rights have been stripped.

 The following is the text of the interview with Aisha Gunay:

 * What is the struggle you are waging for the development of the Kurdish women's press?  What are the difficulties and problems in this struggle?  What is the legacy that you rely on in the women's media?

 The struggle of Kurdish women is characterized as a movement that carries the legacy of the struggle and experiences of women around the world, thousands of years ago, and that their geographical reality, and their experience in the struggle against the genocidal policies in the countries where the Kurds live, have brought Kurdish women to different levels;  Not only in the search for rights and freedoms, but also in the application of the ideological approach to this research.

 With the democratic and ecological women's liberation model put forward by the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, and with the jinology, a new development occurred that we see, today, extending its influence all over the world.  The Kurdish women's press has flourished in the midst of women's struggle and amid such a rich atmosphere of practice and ideology, that is, its roots are strong.  Women's journalism has developed in the midst of a multifaceted struggle.

 This struggle proceeds as follows;  At home against fathers, brothers and husbands, on the streets against the state police and soldiers, against the men we work with in the institutions, and against the massacres we talk about in the media.

  We are facing a great threat and wage a relentless struggle.  We have reached this point thanks to Iver Serje, Grubetli Arsuz, Deniz, Nojian and dozens of our female journalist colleagues.

 Gherbatly was the first female editor-in-chief, and JINHA was the first of its kind, when it became the world's first women's agency.  Women's TV was also the first of its kind because of its language and content.  Kurdish women's media have brought about significant changes in discourse and an important tool for promoting and communicating women's voices.

  Today, we Kurdish women journalists, we organize our ranks uniquely in every field, for example;  We at the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform strengthen our unity and organization in Turkey.  This is happening for the first time in Turkey.

 *Can you talk briefly about the situation of the opposition media in Turkey?

 There is no longer a basis in Turkey to use terms such as democracy and freedom.  There is a serious problem with the system, which seeks to disrupt the entire society and especially women through a system of isolation.  Of course, there is a large public reaction against these practices pursued by the authorities.

 I would particularly note that women are the biggest objectors, and undoubtedly the implementation of this system of seclusion paved the way for 80% of the media monopoly.  The rest is the Kurdish media, which we describe as opposition, democratic, socialist and free media.

  If we exclude some socialist organizations and the Kurdish media, it will be a reflection of the opposition policy that paved the way for the growth and development of the mentality of the Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party.

 In fact, the opposition media is silent in the face of the government's war policies, but it does report the bills of the economic crisis.  I do not think that it is objectively revealing the truth.  Nonetheless, it is targeted by the government.

 I think the most obvious example of this is the recently arrested journalist, Sadaf Kabash.  She was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in prison.  Why is she?  The government says, "we attacked Afrin, you gave support, we attacked Jazira and you were silent, so you are my partner in crime. Now why are you against me?"  The main problem of the opposition in Turkey here is the lack of transparency and mentality.

 * What are the issues that female journalists are increasingly fighting against, and what are the obstacles?

 The male mentality dominates the field of media.  We have broken this greatly within the free press with our struggle and organization, but I cannot say this about the other media organizations.

  The awareness and mentality of women has developed, and they are fighting for their rights, but harassment, , psychological and economic violence and lack of respect for their will are the main problems they often face at work.  There is also real pressure from husbands, fathers, and siblings to prevent them from working.  In the house there is a sick person. The real pressure, of course, is from the government.

 Compared to our male counterparts, we are more vulnerable to stress, we are attacked during the news and we are sexually pressured.

 We prepare the news under these terms and conditions, but publishing it requires a lot of effort.  We live in a time when bans have become legal, the right to information has been completely abolished and freedom of expression marginalized.  Under these pressures we face situations such as denial of access and arrests.  The women's news agency (Jinnews) was banned 21 times in 2021, and this is also the clearest example of gender bias.

 * What is the purpose of harassing, repressing and arresting Kurdish women journalists in Turkey?

 Kurdish women journalists are journalists with the people and within the ranks of the people. They publish and present the experience and struggle of the people against the oppression of the authorities from the perspective of women, and define both the problem and the solution.  They have the will to change and develop society.  Of course, Kurdish women are the ones who are looking for freedom and asking questions and working to change society as well, and this is not to the authorities' liking, so they are targeting Kurdish women journalists.

 *Why does the state systematically prevent journalists, especially women, from practicing journalism?

 She knows how it will affect society.  She knows their strength.  Therefore, a policy of assault, harassment and rape is adopted against women and attacks on their body and mind, and the best way to silence public opinion about this is to silence the media.  When the media is suppressed, the state believes that the oppression of society will not appear either.

 * What is your struggle to overcome these problems?

 We Kurdish women are organizing our ranks against attacks and problems.  We are also struggling to find common ground with our female colleagues.  We believe that the only way is to strengthen our pursuit of rights and freedoms.  Of course we are also waging our ideological struggle everywhere we are.  As we continue our struggle to change ourselves and change the man with us.

 When are women exposed to human rights violations?

 Most abuses occur during periods of war, when the pressure increases as militarism increases and we become the target of attacks.

 How is your legal struggle going?  What cases are you sued most often?

 We are arrested for our journalistic work and then prosecuted on charges such as “organization membership” and “propaganda for the organization”.  Many of our colleagues are being sanctioned on these charges.  There is an environment in which the judiciary practices politics, and this is manifested in media lawsuits.  We face arbitrary arrests, detention and penalties.

 How many female journalists are detained?

 Of the 62 journalists arrested in 2021, 6 were women.  Journalist Sadaf Kabash was also arrested in the first month of this year, bringing the number of female journalists arrested to 7.

 * What is the form of a network of solidarity and organization that should be built among Kurdish women?

 I mentioned earlier that Kurdish women journalists are organized wherever they are.  But this organization must be brought together under a common umbrella, and it is important that we share our problems and find solutions together.

 * What is your last word?

 We are approaching March 8th, International Women's Day.  I congratulate all women on the occasion of the 8th of March, and I hope that the 8th of next March will be an occasion to eliminate injustice and fascism, escalate the resistance and revive the hopes for freedom.

 A

 ANHA