At least 11 journalists appeared in court across Turkey during the week of June 16 on various charges, with five journalists taken into custody and two released under judicial control. In addition to journalists, a lawyer and a writer also stood trial in freedom of expression cases.
In a high-profile investigation based in the northeastern province of Artvin, four journalists were arrested, while 139 people faced trial for participating in protests in Istanbul's Saraçhane district. Prosecutors demanded a prison sentence for journalist Furkan Karabay, and the case against prominent rights advocate Şebnem Korur Fincancı was dropped due to the statute of limitations. Two journalists were acquitted in hearings this week, one case was postponed due to missing translation documents, and another file was sent to the prosecutor for a final opinion.
Separately, prosecutors requested prison sentences for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in a politically sensitive case involving alleged threats and public defamation.
Journalist Fatih Altaylı jailed over YouTube comments
Journalist Fatih Altaylı was arrested on June 22 after being detained for allegedly “threatening the president” in remarks made on his YouTube channel. After giving a statement to the prosecutor, he was referred to a Criminal Judgeship of Peace and subsequently jailed. He was sent to Silivri Prison following the ruling.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office stated in the referral document that Altaylı’s remarks fell under the category of “threats” under Article 106 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), citing Article 310/2 as justification. Prosecutors argued that there was “strong suspicion” of criminal conduct and called for Altaylı to be held under the highest possible sentence. The court accepted the request.
Four journalists arrested in Artvin-based investigation, Semra Pelek released under judicial control
On June 13, four journalists—Ozan Cırık of Sendika.org, and independent reporters Dicle Baştürk, Yavuz Akengin, and Eylem Emel Yılmaz—were arrested on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” following police raids in Istanbul linked to an investigation based in Artvin. Journalist Semra Pelek, a former case coordinator with the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), and Melisa Efe, a translator working for Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, were released under judicial control.
İmamoğlu appears in court again as prosecutor demands sentence on three charges
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stood trial for the second time over remarks directed at Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. The prosecutor requested a prison sentence on charges of “threat,” “insulting a public official,” and “targeting a public official.” The hearing was adjourned until July 16.
Saraçhane protest trial: Police allegedly told detainees ‘Do you think this is Gezi?’
The first hearing in the trial of 139 individuals arrested during protests in the Saraçhane district of Istanbul on June 20 was held at the Istanbul 49th Criminal Court of First Instance. The defendants are accused of protesting the possible detention of Mayor İmamoğlu. The court lifted international travel bans imposed on all defendants. During the hearing, it was alleged that police officers told the detainees, “Terrorists, do you think this is Gezi?”—a reference to the 2013 Gezi Park protests.
Prosecutor seeks prison sentence for Furkan Karabay over tweets
Journalist Furkan Karabay appeared once again before a judge in a case where he is charged with “insulting the president” over three tweets posted after the February 6, 2023 earthquakes. The prosecutor argued that the tweets exceeded the boundaries of free expression and sought punishment. Karabay has been in pretrial detention since May 15 in connection with a separate case.
Sedef Kabaş’s case delayed again over procedural issues
The 7th hearing in the trial of journalist Sedef Kabaş was held on June 19 at the Istanbul Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. She faces charges of “insulting the president” in 25 social media posts. The trial was postponed again due to unresolved procedural deficiencies.
Journalist Zişan Gür charged with ‘refusing to disperse’ during protest coverage
Zişan Gür, a reporter for Sendika.org, was detained on March 23 while covering protests in Saraçhane following İmamoğlu’s potential detention. She is now facing trial along with 65 others on charges of “refusing to disperse despite warnings.” Gür was later released under judicial control, while 26 others were jailed at the time.
Can Dündar’s Özgür Gündem support case postponed to December
Journalist Can Dündar’s case related to his symbolic participation in the “Editor-in-Chief on Duty” campaign for the shuttered Özgür Gündem newspaper was heard on June 17. The trial concerns an article titled “The most useful judge of the palace regime.” The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.
Journalist Elif Bayburt stands trial over interview
ETHA reporter Elif Bayburt appeared before the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on June 17, charged under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for “insulting the state and its institutions.” The charge stems from an interview with Rob Sadler, who witnessed the killing of human rights advocate Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi by Israeli soldiers.
Burhan Ekinci case stalled due to arrest warrant
Journalist Burhan Ekinci is on trial at the Istanbul 30th High Criminal Court for “terrorist propaganda” based on seven social media posts. Ekinci did not attend the June 17 hearing, nor did his lawyer. The court ruled to wait for the execution of an outstanding arrest warrant. The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25, 2025.
Şebnem Korur Fincancı case dropped due to statute of limitations
A case against prominent forensic expert and rights advocate Şebnem Korur Fincancı was dropped on June 17 by the Istanbul Anadolu 42nd Criminal Court of First Instance due to the statute of limitations. Fincancı had faced charges of “insulting” then-Prime Minister Erdoğan during the 2013 Gezi protests over a social media post.
Prosecutor seeks defamation conviction for Barış Terkoğlu
Journalist Barış Terkoğlu appeared in the fifth hearing of a defamation case on June 19 at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The charges stem from three columns published in Cumhuriyet newspaper referencing the so-called “fool” case involving İmamoğlu. Former Istanbul Anadolu Chief Prosecutor İsmail Uçar filed the complaint. The prosecutor argued the articles exceeded the limits of press freedom and demanded a sentence for “defamation through a chain of offenses.” The court accepted a request from Terkoğlu’s lawyer for additional time and scheduled the next hearing for Dec. 11 at 2:40 p.m.
Terkoğlu’s ‘insult’ case also postponed
Another case against Terkoğlu, in which he is accused of “publicly insulting a public official” over his column “A friend is the tongue-twister of a friend,” was also heard at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The complaint was filed by former Istanbul Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Hadi Salihoğlu. The court decided to await the outcome of a related file at the Court of Cassation and postponed the hearing to Dec. 11 at 2:30 p.m.
Translation delays Perihan Kaya’s retrial
A retrial for journalist Perihan Kaya, who is facing charges of “terrorist propaganda,” was held at the Diyarbakır 10th High Criminal Court. Kaya, who is currently abroad, did not attend. The court postponed the trial to Nov. 7, 2025, granting additional time for a translation of her testimony.
Lawyer Süleyman Şahin acquitted
Lawyer Süleyman Şahin was acquitted in a trial held in Diyarbakır where he was accused of “membership in a terrorist organization.” Şahin argued in his defense statement that his legal work had been criminalized. The trial was monitored by international observers.
Hatice Şahin’s trial postponed for case consolidation
Journalist Hatice Şahin is on trial for “membership in a terrorist organization” as part of an investigation into the Democratic Society Congress (DTK). The case, heard at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court, was postponed to Nov. 27, 2025, for consolidation with a separate case. A travel ban on Şahin remains in effect.
DFG Van representative Adnan Bilen acquitted in insult case
Adnan Bilen, the Van representative of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), was acquitted in a retrial on charges of “insulting the president.” The Van 4th Criminal Court of First Instance issued the acquittal following a ruling by the Court of Cassation overturning the initial conviction.
Prosecution drops anonymous witness in trial of writer Mehmet Şahin
In the trial of Mehmet Şahin, a Zazaki-language writer accused of “membership in a terrorist organization,” the court decided to forgo hearing a secret witness. The hearing was observed by MLSA and Mezopotamya Agency. The case was forwarded to the prosecutor for a final opinion and postponed to Sept. 23, 2025.
