NEWS CENTRE - Despite the closure of JINHA, which changed the language of the media with the voice of women, women continued their struggle. Today, women's journalism continues on its way with the same determination.

 

"And we are changing the language of the media. After us, the world's media will no longer be the same" Jin News Agency (JINHA), which announced its foundation in Amed on 8 March 2012 with the slogan “After us, the world's media will no longer be the same”, went down in history as the first and only women-focused news agency in Turkey, the Middle East and the world. JINHA, which set out to break the masculine language in the media, consisted entirely of women, from news director to reporter, cameraman to photographer.

 

JINHA, which made a name for itself in a short time with its original news on women's rights, gender equality and the Kurdish issue, aimed to make women's problems visible and to include women's stories that are not usually covered in the mainstream media.

 

However, during the state of emergency (OHAL) declared in Turkey in 2016, JINHA, like many other media outlets, was subjected to pressure and was shut down on 29 October 2016. This closure decision was seen as a reflection of the increasing pressure on press freedom in Turkey and the censorship imposed on media outlets that give voice to women in particular.

 

Women's struggle in the media

 

From begining, JINHA has been publishing important news on the problems faced by women, focusing on issues such as violence against women, gender equality, child marriages and women's employment. In addition, the problems faced by Kurdish women, the struggle of women in Rojava, the lives of women in Southern Kurdistan and the stories of women who took part in the Kurdish struggle were among the news items published by JINHA.

 

It has become a target of the government

 

The agency attracted attention with its news that was widely reported in both national and international media, but this situation also made JINHA a target of government repression. JINHA employees were frequently detained and the agency's website was blocked several times during the curfews that began with the declaration of ‘self-government’ in Sur district of Amed, Nusaybin district of Mêrdîn, Şirnex and its districts and Yüksekova district of Colemêrg. Following the 15 July 2016 coup attempt, JINHA, like many other media outlets, was subjected to repression under the state of emergency (OHAL). Throughout 2016, the agency's offices were raided, its employees were detained and serious censorship practices were put in place against the agency.

 

JINHA and many other media outlets shut down

 

On 29 October 2016, Jin News Agency was officially shut down by a Decree Law (KHK), along with 15 other media outlets, including many Kurdish media outlets. The reason given for the closure was that the agency was allegedly engaged in ‘organisation propaganda’. However, this decision was harshly criticised by press freedom defenders and women's rights activists, who emphasised that the closure of JINHA was in fact an attempt to silence women's voices.

 

Reactions following the closure of JINHA

 

The closure of JINHA drew strong reactions both in Turkey and internationally. Women's rights defenders and press freedom advocates considered the closure of the agency as an attack on press freedom and women's rights. JINHA employees, on the other hand, stated that they would continue to resist despite these pressures and that they would continue to be the voice of women. JINHA tried to publish its news on the internet for a while after the closure, but these attempts were met with various censorship and access restrictions.

 

Many human rights organisations, press freedom advocates and women's rights groups reacted to press freedom violations in Turkey and the closure of JINHA. Some of these reactions were as follows:

 

Amnesty Organisation: Blow to press freedom

 

Amnesty International has published comprehensive reports on media outlets shut down under the state of emergency in Turkey. In these reports, the closure of JINHA was particularly emphasised and the importance of the agency for women's rights was highlighted. Amnesty described the closure of JINHA as ‘the silencing of a media organ that is the voice of women’ and a severe blow to press freedom in Turkey.

 

RSF: JINHA an important platform for journalists

 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), one of the organisations that has frequently highlighted the deterioration of press freedom in Turkey, reacted to the closure of JINHA. RSF described the closure of JINHA as part of a crackdown on freedom of expression and accused the Turkish government of silencing free media. The organisation stressed that JINHA was a particularly important platform for women journalists.

 

Women's rights organisations and feminists condemn

 

The closure of JINHA was also strongly condemned by international women's rights organisations. In particular, groups such as Women's Rights Watch and the Global Women's Solidarity Network stated that JINHA was an important media organisation that promoted women-specific journalism, and that its closure was a serious step backwards for women's voices to be heard.

 

‘The situation is worrying’ statement from EU and EP

 

Members of the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament (EP) also frequently criticised violations of press freedom and human rights in Turkey. Some MEPs made specific statements on the closure of JINHA, condemning the growing crackdown on media freedom in Turkey. In these reactions, women's representation in the free press and the silencing of independent women's agencies such as JINHA were expressed as a matter of concern.

 

UN Women A great loss

 

United Nations (UN) Women was one of the organisations that reacted directly to the closure of JINHA. UN Women stated that increasing women's visibility in the media is critical for achieving gender equality and described the closure of JINHA as a great loss for women journalists and women's rights defenders in Turkey.

 

IFJ: Freedom of expression violated

 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) issued statements condemning the closure of JINHA and said the closure of the agency was a severe blow to women journalists in Turkey. The IFJ described the decision as a ‘serious violation of freedom of expression’ and called on the Turkish government to support independent media.

 

Kurdish diaspora and support groups: A major attack on democratic rights

 

International groups supporting Kurdish rights and women's struggles also reacted to the closure of JINHA. In particular, international supporters of the Kurdish Women's Movement and Kurdish diaspora organisations in Europe considered the closure of JINHA as the destruction of an important platform for Kurdish women to make their voices heard and stated that this step was a major attack against democratic rights.

 

Women did not shut up...

 

At a time when concerns about freedom of the press were growing, JINHA left a strong mark in the memory with its original reporting and contributions to the women's struggle. Although the closure of JINHA marked the end of a women-oriented media organisation in Turkey, women continued their journey in the following years, first with Gazete Şujîn and then with JINNEWS. JINNEWS carries the voice of society to every corner of the world with women, children and live-orientated journalism with the slogan ‘With the pen of a woman, in pursuit of the truth’.