- In the case where journalists Aslan, Dal, and Alayumat are being tried on charges of “membership in an organization,” the testimony of a secret witness with the code name “K8Ç4B3L1T5” was heard.
- Mehmet Aslan objected to the testimony, stating that the secret witness's statements did not reflect the truth.
MLSA – The fifth hearing in the case against journalists Mehmet Aslan, Esra Solin Dal, and Erdoğan Alayumat, whose defense is being undertaken by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), was held at the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court. At the previous hearing, it was decided that a new indictment prepared against Aslan would be merged with the existing case file.
The hearing began 20 minutes later than scheduled. Mehmet Aslan attended the hearing via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS) from his province of residence. Esra Solin Dal and Erdoğan Alayumat did not attend the hearing.
Aslan: The secret witness doesn’t know me
In his defense statement, Mehmet Aslan stated that the testimony of the secret witness, which led to the opening of the case against him, did not reflect the truth. Aslan said, “I started journalism in Antalya in 2019. The secret witness claims that I started this profession through the direction of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association. However, that association was established after the year I started journalism. Therefore, the court should not rely on the secret witness's statements.”
Stating that he has been working as a journalist for about seven years, Aslan said, “Everyone knows me, I do not do this job under anyone’s direction.”
Secret witness: I do not want to answer questions
Afterward, the secret witness using the code name “K8Ç4B3L1T5” joined the hearing via SEGBİS. In response to the judge's question, “Do you know Mehmet Aslan?”, the secret witness said, “I do not want to answer that question.”
The secret witness claimed that Aslan worked for the Mezopotamya Agency and followed the death fasts in Istanbul, and said, “I have no other information about him.”
The secret witness claimed that Aslan “produced news reports as part of the organization,” and when asked whether Aslan had started journalism on the instructions of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, he responded that time had passed and he could not remember, adding, “He is probably affiliated with it.”
The secret witness refused to answer questions from the lawyers, saying, “They are trying to identify me.”
“The secret witness doesn’t know me, he just signed the statement put in front of him”
After the prosecutor requested the case file to prepare their final opinion, Mehmet Aslan spoke again. Reiterating that he did not accept the secret witness's testimony, Aslan said, “All the information about me can be found with a quick internet search in a few minutes. I have nothing to hide. The secret witness doesn’t know me, he just signed the statement that was put in front of him.”
Aslan’s lawyers also stated that the secret witness’s statements did not reflect the truth and should not be considered credible.
The court postponed the hearing to April 7, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. to allow the prosecutor to prepare their opinion on the merits of the case.
About the case
Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Esra Solin Dal, Mehmet Aslan, and journalist Erdoğan Alayumat were detained on April 23 as part of an Istanbul-based investigation. The journalists were held in custody for three days and were then referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for arrest. Accused of “membership in an organization,” the three journalists were released approximately a month later, on May 21.
A new indictment against Mehmet Aslan, based on the testimony of the secret witness with the code name “K8Ç4B3L1T5,” who had previously testified against many other journalists, was merged with the existing case file at the hearing held on November 20, 2025.
