This week, at least 13 different freedom of expression and human rights trials were held. This week also, investigations were opened against six journalists.
Across Turkey, we observed at least 13 hearings in cases opened against journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, and even businesspeople. Observers reported in some hearings the inadequacy of courtrooms, the interruption of lawyers’ defense statements, and rights violations against defendants.
📌 First hearing was held in the case where TÜSİAD executives are being tried
In the case where TÜSİAD executives Ömer Aras and Orhan Turan are being tried for “spreading misleading information” and “influencing the judiciary” after their criticisms at TÜSİAD’s general assembly, the first hearing was held on May 20 at the Istanbul 28th Criminal Court of First Instance. The hearing was postponed to September 23, 2025, due to lawyers requesting time to make defense statements on the merits.
📌 Tolga Şardan’s MIT report case postponed
In the case opened due to the article titled “What’s in the ‘judiciary report’ that MIT presented to the Presidency?” published on T24, Şardan’s lawyer said, “A dual legal system is being applied.” The third hearing of the case in which journalist Tolga Şardan is being tried on charges of “openly spreading misleading information to the public” and “openly insulting the state's judicial organs” was held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The case was postponed.
📌 Merdan Yanardağ’s case postponed to a later date
The second hearing of the retrial of TELE1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ, who had received a sentence of 7 years and 15 days in prison due to his column titled “Mafia-ization of the system” published in BirGün newspaper on May 23, 2021, and whose verdict had been overturned at the appeals court, was held on charges of “insulting the institutions and organs of the state.” Yanardağ’s lawyer Bilgütay Hakkı Durna, who was present at the hearing, said that the article on the mafia order was political criticism. The court decided to take the file into review.
📌 JINNEWS News Director Öznur Değer released; hearing was tense
The first hearing of Öznur Değer, who is being tried on the charge of propaganda of an organization, was held on May 22 at Mardin 2nd High Criminal Court. Değer, who wanted to give her defense in Kurdish, was forced by the court to speak in Turkish. Appearing before a judge for the first time, Öznur Değer was released in the hearing. The hearing was postponed to October 21.
📌 Journalist Mehmet Şah Oruç’s case held in Bitlis
The case of journalist Mehmet Şah Oruç, who is being tried on charges of “membership in an organization and propaganda,” was held on May 20 at Bitlis 2nd High Criminal Court. The hearing was postponed to October 14 for the preparation of the opinion on the merits.
📌 Journalist Burcu Kara acquitted
Journalist Burcu Kara, who was being tried on the charge of “membership in an armed organization” at the Izmir 2nd High Criminal Court, was acquitted in the hearing held on May 22.
📌 Journalist Yelda Çiçek’s case postponed
The hearing of journalist Yelda Çiçek, who was sued for covering a protest against a trustee appointment, was held on May 20 at Diyarbakır 4th Criminal Court of First Instance. The Constitutional Court’s violation decision was read. The hearing was postponed to May 27 to take statements from the other two defendants.
📌 Journalist Naci Sapan fined
Naci Sapan, who was being tried because of his article titled “Trustees, little trustees!” was sentenced to 472 days (9,440 TL) judicial fine on May 20 at Diyarbakır 14th Criminal Court of First Instance. Additionally, he was ordered to pay 30,000 TL in attorney’s fee to the complainant’s lawyer.
📌 Journalist Ramazan Ölçen’s case postponed to December 24
The next hearing of Ramazan Ölçen, who is being tried in connection with Azadiya Welat newspaper, was held on May 21 at Diyarbakır 11th High Criminal Court. Ölçen did not attend the hearing as he is abroad. The court postponed the case, waiting for the execution of the arrest warrant.
📌 Case opened due to Amasra disaster commemoration postponed
In the case heard on May 20 at the Ankara 65th Criminal Court of First Instance, the hearing of 26 people tried for violating Law No. 2911 was postponed to July 16 for the prosecutor to prepare the opinion.
📌 In Ahmet Saymadi’s case, no release
In the first hearing of the case opened against Saymadi, who was arrested within the scope of the HDK investigation, the prosecutor demanded a sentence. The court ruled for the continuation of detention and postponed the hearing to July 4. Ahmet Saymadi was not released in the case in which he is being tried while detained.
📌 Case in which Tayip Temel and Kurdish politicians are tried postponed
The case of 38 people, including former Azadiya Welat Editor-in-Chief Tayip Temel, who are being tried within the scope of the KCK investigation, was held on May 22 at Diyarbakır 2nd High Criminal Court. Due to the defendants not attending the hearing, the case was postponed.
📌 In the case regarding the beating of lawyer Oğuzcan Ozan Kurt, two police officers sentenced, two acquitted
The 12th hearing of the case in which four police officers are being tried for “causing bone fracture due to torture” and “committing torture” in relation to the beating of human rights defender lawyer Oğuzcan Ozan Kurt was held on May 22 at Ankara 16th High Criminal Court. Many lawyers from the Ankara Bar Association, in addition to MLSA, followed the hearing.
The court sentenced two defendant police officers to 2 years and 5 months in prison for “intentional injury” on the grounds that their actions did not constitute the crime of torture. The other two police officers were acquitted on the grounds that they had no involvement in the injury. Good conduct reductions were applied for all defendants.
Observers stated that after the hearing, the police officers left the courtroom smiling and that the presiding judge left the courtroom without listening to the lawyers’ objections.
📌 Sentence requested for İHD member Okçuoğlu
It was requested that Selahattin Okçuoğlu be sentenced on the charge of propaganda. Okçuoğlu, who is being tried for two news posts, said, “My posts are oriented toward peace.” In the first hearing, the prosecutor submitted the opinion on the merits and demanded that Okçuoğlu be punished for “making propaganda of an organization.”
📌 Investigation against four journalists
DFG Co-chair Selman Çiçek and journalists Heval Önkol, Dilan Kartal, and Hividar Önver were summoned to testify for protesting the killing of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin.
📌 Investigation against BirGün reporter
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against journalist İsmail Arı. Arı wanted to testify but his request was denied on the grounds of a “confidentiality order” in the case file.
📌 Investigation against journalist Gülistan Dursun
Journalist Gülistan Dursun was summoned to testify on the charge of “organization propaganda” due to participating in a press statement in Sulaymaniyah to protest the killing of her colleagues in a drone strike.
📌 Joint statement from IHSDA components: Lawyer Fırat Epözdemir must be released!
“Lawyer Fırat Epözdemir was arrested on January 25 based on his human rights-based professional activities. Non-criminal actions from 10 years ago were presented as evidence. The defense cannot be silenced.” Epözdemir’s hearing will be held next week on May 29.
📌 Hearing date set for journalists arrested after Saraçhane protests
The first hearing for the 8 journalists who were detained while covering the protests and released after one day will be held at Istanbul 62nd Criminal Court of First Instance on October 24 at 10:00 a.m.
