This week several peace academics and journalists, including Berzan Güneş and Uğur Yılmaz represented by Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), will appear before judges. Below is a list of this week’s journalism and free speech trials:
October 16, Tuesday
- Hearing of 26 Etkin News Agency (ETHA) employees, among them is translator and editor Meşale Tolu, will be held at İstanbul 29. High Criminal Court at 11:00 AM. Journalists are accused of "terrorist propaganda" and "membership in a terrorist organization".
- Hearing of journalist Uğur Yılmaz, represented by MLSA Legal Team, will be held at Bitlis 2. High Criminal Court at 11:50 AM. Yılmaz has been imprisoned for 15 months on "terrorist propaganda" and "membership in a terrorist organization" charges.
- Third hearing of journalist Berzan Güneş, represented by MLSA Legal Team will be held at Iğdır 2. High Criminal Court at 2:10 PM. Güneş was detained on 11 June whilst he was following a news story in Şırnak. He spent two months in pre-trial detention, before being released after his first hearing on 7 August.
- Hearing of human rights activist and columnist Nurcan Baysal will be held at Diyarbakır 7. Court of First Instance. Baysal is accused of "inciting the public towards hatred and animosity". She was previously taken into police custody in January, due to her social media posts criticizing the state’s military involvement in North Syria, Afrin.
- Hearing of Didim Özgürses newspaper owner Mustafa Öge, Mavi Didim newspaper owner Ergun Korkmaz, Mavi Didim reporter Erdem Özen and Didim district head of Labour Party (EMEP) Kazım Temiz will be held at Didim Court of First Instance. They are accused of "inciting the public towards hatred and animosity".
October 17, Wednesday
- Hearing of Boğaziçi University academic Burcu Kaya Kızılöz from the Psychology department, will be held at İstanbul 14. High Criminal Court at 09:40 AM. Kızılöz is charged with "terrorist propaganda" due to her participation in the peace petition titled "We will not be a party to this crime" criticizing the state’s military involvement in the predominantly Kurdish populated cities. The petition was launched by Academics for Peace Initiative.
- Hearing of Boğaziçi University academic Kuban Altınel from the Industrial Engineering department, will be held at İstanbul 14. High Criminal Court at 09:50 AM. Altınel is charged with "terrorist propaganda" due to her participation in the peace petition titled "We will not be a party to this crime" criticizing the state’s military involvement in the predominantly Kurdish populated cities. The petition was launched by Academics for Peace Initiative.
- 16th hearing of former Taraf newspaper columnist Mehmet Baransu and former news director Murat Şevki Çoban will be held at Anadolu 10. High Criminal Court at 10:30 AM. Journalists are accused of "possessing and revealing secret documents related to national security".
October 18, Thursday
- Hearing of Perihan Mağden, Tunca Öğreten, Mehmet Çağlar Tekin and Orhan Şahin will be held at İstanbul 2. Court of First Instance at 10:35 AM. Journalists are accused of "insulting the president" due to the publishing of an interview of Mağden at Diken newspaper and Yurt newspaper on 14 September 2015.
October 19, Friday
- Hearing of Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporters Erdoğan Alayumat and Nuri Akman will be held at Hatay 2. High Criminal Court. Journalists are accused of "possessing secret documents related to national security for espionage".
