Deniz Tekin
A Turkish court has postponed the fourth hearing in the trial of journalist Nurcan Yalçın, who faces charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “financing terrorism” over her work with a women’s organization in southeastern Turkey, her reporting for the feminist news agency Jinnews, and her social media posts. The court also ruled to maintain a travel ban imposed on her.
The hearing was held at the 9th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakır, a predominantly Kurdish city in southeastern Turkey that has long been a center of conflict between Turkish authorities and Kurdish groups. Yalçın did not attend the session and was represented by her lawyer, Resul Temur. A plainclothes police officer monitored the hearing from the section designated for lawyers.
Temur requested additional time to submit the address and identification details of journalist Kibriye Evren, whom the defense previously asked to be heard as a witness. He also asked the court to wait for the outcome of a related case currently in the appeals stage at the 4th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakır.
The prosecution requested that procedural deficiencies in the case file be addressed.
The court decided to uphold the judicial control measure, which includes the international travel ban on Yalçın, to inquire about the status of an ongoing investigation at the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, and to grant the defense time to provide the information regarding Kibriye Evren.
The next hearing is scheduled for March 3, 2026.
Background
In 2020, the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office indicted Yalçın on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “making terrorist propaganda.” The charges stemmed from her participation in activities organized by the Rosa Women’s Association, a local women’s rights group, and her journalism for Jinnews, a pro-Kurdish, women-focused news outlet.
In 2021, she was sentenced to 2 years and 1 month in prison for “committing crimes on behalf of a terrorist organization without being a member,” and to an additional 1 year, 6 months, and 22 days for “making terrorist propaganda.” However, the verdict was overturned by an appeals court.
Later, a new case was brought against Yalçın under the Law on the Prevention of the Financing of Terrorism, after she sent 400 Turkish liras (approximately $15 at the time) to the cellmate of journalist Kibriye Evren, who was being held in the same prison. Yalçın was detained for two days as part of this investigation.
