9 February Tuesday
- First hearing of the trial where journalist Dindar Karataş faces “membership in a terrorist organization” charges will be held at Erzurum 3rd High Criminal Court this week. Mesopotamia News Agency Van bureau reporter Karataş was detained in Van on Nov 24, 2020. Police raided his home and the news agency’s office, confiscated all digital materials. Karataş was then taken to Erzurum where the investigation was launched and arrested for “membership in a terrorist organization” charges on Nov 26, 2020. The indictment presents tape recordings of Karataş’s phone conversations with his news sources and colleagues as evidence against him, further claiming that “he is in search of writing news reports that are pro-terrorist organization” and that “he attempts to report on military’s successful operations against the terrorist organization as if it is ‘torture and cruelty towards the region’ with his news reports published by Mesopotamia News Agency.”
- Second hearing of the trial where since shuttered Dicle News Agency reporter Selman Keleş faces “membership in a terrorist organization” charges will be held at Van 5th High Criminal Court. Keleş was arrested alongside journalist Arif Aslan on 30 March 2017 while taking photos near Van Municipality building as terror suspects and they were released during the first hearing of their trial, which was held on 21 November 2017. While Keleş and Aslan were tried together, Keleş’s file was separated in the eighth hearing which was held on Sept 3, 2020. This is the first hearing of the separated case.
- First hearing of the trial where journalist Hatice Kamer faces “terror propaganda” charges for posting photos from HDP assemblies and press briefings on her social media account 5 years ago will be held at Diyarbakır 8th High Criminal Court this week. Kamer had previously been acquitted as part of this case but an appellate court has recently overturned the ruling and requested her to be tried again.
10 February Wednesday
- First hearing of the trial where Demokrat Haber website editor journalist Selda Manduz faces “membership in a terrorist organization” charges will be held at Kars 2nd High Criminal Court this week. Manduz was taken in police custody on Oct 1, 2020 as part of an operation against HDP politicians in Kars and was released with judicial control measures on Oct 4, 2020. Testimonies of secret witnesses and tape recordings of Manduz’s phone conversations are presented as evidence against the journalist.
- Seventh hearing of the trial where former Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Mehmet Sait Değer faces “terror propaganda” charges will be held at Batman 3rd High Criminal Court this week.
11 February Thursday
- Tenth hearing of the trial where journalist Arif Aslan faces “membership in a terrorist organization” charges will resume at Van 5th High Criminal Court. Aslan and since shuttered Dicle News Agency reporter Selman Keleş were arrested on 30 March 2017 while taking photos near Van Municipality building as terror suspects and were released during the first hearing of their trial, which was held on 21 November 2017. Although Aslan and Keleş were tried in the same court case Keleş’s file was separated during the eighth hearing which was held on Sept 3, 2020 due to him being abroad.
- Trial where Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor Semiha Şahin and reporter Pınar Gayıp face “membership in a terrorist organization” and “making terrorist propaganda” charges will resume at İstanbul 23rd High Criminal Court. Şahin and Gayıp were released with judicial control measures and house arrest following a 14-month detainment during the previous hearing, which was held on June 13, 2019. Their house arrest was lifted during the hearing held on December 11, 2019.
- Thirteenth hearing of the trial where 27 defendants including journalist and translator Meşale Tolu face “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorist propaganda” charges will take place at Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court.
- Second hearing of the trial where Habertürk columnist Nagehan Alçı is accused of insulting former Istanbul 37th High Criminal Court judge Hakan Yalçınkaya in a column published on Haberturk.com.tr on June 15, 2018 will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
