Journalists, activists, and citizens will appear in court across several Turkish cities this week in trials widely seen as tests of press and expression freedoms in the country. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) Trial Monitoring Unit is tracking the hearings and will share live updates in both Turkish and English via its Twitter (X) account.
Monday, April 7
At 9:50 a.m., journalist Sibel Hürtaş will appear before the Ankara 55th Criminal Court of First Instance in the first hearing of a case filed against her for calling police officers “torturers” during her defense statement. The police officers in question had allegedly beaten and detained her while she was covering a news story.
Tuesday, April 8
At 9:40 a.m., the third hearing in the case against journalist Rüstem Batum will be held at the Istanbul 60th Criminal Court of First Instance. Batum is accused of “insulting the President” over posts shared on his Twitter account. MLSA is providing his legal defense.
At 10 a.m., the trial of artist Ferhat Tunç will continue at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court. Tunç is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorist propaganda” over his participation in the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and various social media posts.
Also at 10 a.m., the trial of journalist Sonya Bayık and three others will take place at the Batman 9th Criminal Court of First Instance. The group was detained following a police intervention during a press statement at the local HDP office in Hasankeyf, a town known for its submerged ancient heritage. They are accused of violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911).
At 10:05 a.m., journalist Neşe İdil, represented by MLSA, will attend the second hearing of her trial at the Istanbul Anadolu 60th Criminal Court of First Instance. İdil faces charges of “insulting religious values adopted by a segment of the public” over her social media posts.
Wednesday, April 9
At 10 a.m., the parents of Berkin Elvan—Gülsüm and Sami Elvan—will face trial at the Istanbul 43rd Criminal Court of First Instance. They are accused of “insulting the President” due to remarks made after a court session related to their son’s death. Berkin Elvan was 15 when he died after being hit by a police tear gas canister during the 2013 Gezi Park protests, a nationwide anti-government movement.
Also at 10 a.m., the second hearing of a trial involving 10 individuals who were detained during the Eskişehir Pride March will be held at the Eskişehir 16th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are charged with violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911), and a verdict is expected at this session.
Thursday, April 10
At 10 a.m., director Kazım Öz will appear before the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court on charges of “terrorist propaganda.” The charges stem from graffiti shown in certain scenes of his film Zer, a movie that deals with historical memory and Kurdish identity.
Friday, April 11
At 10:30 a.m., the first hearing in a major case involving 14 individuals—including multiple journalists—will take place at the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court. The defendants, including journalists Zeynep Kuray (represented by MLSA), Can Papila, Gülistan Dursun, Hayri Tunç, Enes Sezgin, Osman Akın, Pelin Laçin, and Pınar Gayıp, are charged with “terrorist propaganda” and violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations. They were detained following a police intervention during a December 21, 2024, press statement in Istanbul’s Şişhane Square, held in response to the killings of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin in northern Syria.
