Painting by Zehra Dogan (2016)
Zhera Dogan was released on Sunday 24 February 2019.
Zehra Dogan, a Turkish journalist and painter, announced that she had been sentenced to two years and ten months in prison, allegedly for making a painting depicting the destruction of the Turkish city of Nusaybin by government forces. But the story goes much deeper than that. His persecution dates back to July 2016, and I suppose the painting thing is just another absurd excuse for repression.
In Dogan's painting, dated 2016, Turkish flags are visible on the buildings that are still standing and military vehicles have been turned into various insects such as spiders or scorpions.
The irony is that the photograph on which Dogan based her painting was originally taken and distributed by the Turkish authorities. The author told this story on 5 March 2017 in a now-deleted message on her Twitter account:
"I've received imprisonment for 'drawing a painting with Turkish flags on ruined homes'. However, it was them who took this picture, I just painted it."
"I've received imprisonment for 'drawing a painting with Turkish flags on ruined homes'. However, it was them who took this picture, I just painted it".
Acquitted of membership of an illegal organisation but convicted of disseminating the painting
The court found that Dogan's painting was"terrorist propaganda".
Several witnesses testified that Dogan was a member of an illegal organisation, although no witness knew her by name. One anonymous witness stated that "there was a short woman with an earring in her nose ... I don't know her identity; she's probably the one who is a member of an illegal organisation". I don't know her identity; she is probably a journalist".
Prosecution lawyers used Dogan's paintings and social media posts as evidence against her. Dogan testified that all the "crimes" she is accused of are purely journalistic activities, for which she is registered and is a member of the Union of Journalists of Turkey.
The trial ended without a sentence, but Zehra remained in prison until her release on 9 December 2016. Her trial continued on 2 March 2017 and she was acquitted of the charge of belonging to an illegal organisation, but was sentenced to 2 years, 9 months and 22 days for posting the painting on social media.
She was sent to prison in June 2017 where she will remain locked up for 17 months, until approximately November 2018.
The prison administration refuses to provide her with any materials she can use to paint.(Author's website)
Actions to support Sehra Dogan.
The bombing of Nusaybin
Photograph inspired by Dogan
The siege of the town of Nusaybin, near the Syrian border and home to some 80,000 people, lasted 74 days and involved heavy artillery and intense aerial bombardment.
A report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) described in detail the destruction of the city of Nusaybin in Mardin province, where 1,786 buildings were demolished or severely damaged, and the historic district of Sur, Diyarbakir, where local authorities estimate that 70 per cent of buildings in the eastern area were systematically targeted by shelling.
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Top before, bottom after
Top before, bottom after
Top before, bottom after
South. Diyarbakir Province. Source (OHCHR)
Zehra was arrested on 23 July 2016 for more than four months. He was charged with "pro-Kurdish" activities of "membership of illegal organisation" and "propaganda of illegal organisation" for his journalistic articles. Although she was eventually acquitted of these charges, she remains in prison for spreading the painting on social media.
Zehra Dogan (left). Photo: Jinha Agency
Dogan, a graduate of Dicle University's Department of Painting, is also the editor of Jinha (Jin Haber Ajansi) a feminist news agency run and staffed by women only.
Zhera Dogan was released on Sunday 24 February 2019.
