April 2026 Highlights
This month, MLSA pursued legal action on behalf of journalists, defended freedom of expression and artistic production, advanced international advocacy on press freedom violations, monitored ongoing fair trial concerns, expanded rights-focused programming on MLSA TV, and continued to receive wide press coverage.
Detention appeals, constitutional complaints, and defense of artistic freedom
International advocacy and structural press freedom concerns
The structural problem lies in the provisions themselves
MLSA’s notification to the Committee of Ministers underlined that ongoing press freedom violations are rooted in legal provisions that continue to enable rights restrictions. Read more →
National security laws and global threats to journalism
In April, at least 178 people were tried in 38 cases. Monitored trials showed that multi-defendant and repetitive prosecutions outweighed single-case proceedings, with many files involving 20, 30, or even 50+ defendants.
Delays due to workload became systematic, and hearings were often brief or postponed due to procedural deficiencies. Poor physical conditions and technical issues, including SEGBİS problems, frequently affected proceedings.
The visible presence of police in and around courtrooms was widespread, especially in politically sensitive cases. Additionally, repeated adjournments without substantive progress prolonged trials and deepened uncertainty in the judicial process.
April episodes & commentary
All Çetele episodes on MLSATV YouTube with auto-translation.
Fair trial monitoring and systemic judicial concerns
The March 2026 monitoring findings highlight ongoing concerns within the fair trial system, pointing to systemic issues affecting judicial processes and defendants’ rights.
Wide national and international visibility
MLSA’s work was widely covered across national and international media, with outlets reporting on developments in the Bakur davası, ongoing legal pressures targeting journalists, and renewed concerns over freedom of expression.
Coverage also highlighted growing criticism of the censorship law, with many reports warning that it poses a serious threat to independent journalism and public debate.
The repeated banning of the Rojbash filmi was also prominently featured, alongside broader reporting on the dezenformasyon yasası as a growing tool of pressure and on security operations ahead of 1 Mayıs.
