This week, many journalists, writers, and politicians will once again appear before judges. From the Kurdish newspaper Azadiya Welat to the magazine Demokratik Modernite, from journalists living abroad to those detained during the Pride March, a wide range of cases will continue to be heard this week.
Tuesday, Dec. 23
09:00 – The 14th hearing of the case against 38 people, including former Editor-in-Chief of the Kurdish newspaper Azadiya Welat Tayip Temel and Pero Dündar, on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization,” will be held at the Diyarbakır 2nd High Criminal Court.
10:00 – The 8th hearing of the case against Demokratik Modernite magazine’s Responsible Managing Editor Ramazan Yurttapan, editor Haydar Ergül, and contributors Cihan Doğan, Musa Şanak, and Zülal Nazan Üstündağ, whose articles appeared in the magazine’s 37th issue—subject to the indictment—will be held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
12:00 – The 12th hearing of the case against journalist Deniz Yücel, defended by MLSA, on charges of “publicly insulting the Turkish nation and the Republic of Turkey” and “insulting the president” will be held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The court is awaiting the execution of the arrest warrant against Yücel.
Wednesday, Dec. 24
09:30 – The 9th hearing of the restarted case against journalist Perihan Kaya on charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” will be held at the Diyarbakır 10th High Criminal Court.
09:50 – The 17th hearing of the ongoing case against Azadiya Welat’s former license holder Ramazan Ölçen on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” will be held at the Diyarbakır 11th High Criminal Court.
10:30 – The second hearing of the case against photojournalist Cansu Yıldıran and human rights defender Hayriye Kara—both defended by MLSA—as well as journalists Evrim Gündüz, Yusuf Çelik, and Nur Kaya, all of whom were among the 53 people detained during the 23rd Istanbul LGBTQ+ Pride March, will be held at the Istanbul 51st Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:50 – The 13th hearing of the compensation lawsuit filed by Turkuvaz Media Group Vice Chair Serhat Albayrak against academic and Evrensel newspaper columnist Ceren Sözeri will be held at the Istanbul 2nd Civil Court of First Instance for Commercial Matters.
Thursday, Dec. 25
09:10 – The 4th hearing of the case against journalist İrfan Uçar, defended by MLSA, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” based on his interviews and work carried out as part of his journalistic activities, will be held at the Gaziantep 2nd High Criminal Court.
09:40 – The 17th hearing of the case against artist Ferhat Tunç, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “making propaganda for a terrorist organization,” will be held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court. The process of taking Tunç’s statement is pending due to his being abroad.
10:00 – The 6th hearing of the case against journalist Geşbun Ayşe Kara on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” will be held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
09:43 – The hearing of the case against journalist Hayko Bağdat, defended by MLSA, who is charged with “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” over his social media posts, will be held at the Istanbul 28th High Criminal Court.
10:05 – The 15th hearing of the case against Erol Önderoğlu, Ahmet Nesin, and Şebnem Korur Fincancı, who are being prosecuted for joining the “Editor-in-Chief on Duty” campaign in solidarity with Özgür Gündem newspaper, will be held at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court.
Friday, Dec. 26
10:35 – The hearing of the case against Süleyman Ekinci on charges of insulting the president will be held at the Izmir 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance.
