- In the indictment prepared against journalist Nadiye Gürbüz, her journalistic work for the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), an interview she conducted, her attendance at a commemoration and her communications with news sources were cited as evidence of membership in a terrorist organization. The indictment also cited Gürbüz’s hunger strike while in police custody and her exercise of the right to remain silent as grounds for the accusations against her.
- Gürbüz is due to appear before Istanbul’s 25th High Criminal Court on Sept. 15, about seven months after she was jailed pending trial.
MLSA — An indictment accusing journalist Nadiye Gürbüz of membership in the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) cites her journalistic activities as evidence against her.
Seven months have passed since an operation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Feb. 3, 2026, targeting the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), the Socialist Women’s Assembly (SKM), the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), the Limter-İş union affiliated with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), Polen Ecology and the Science, Education, Aesthetics, Culture and Art Research Foundation (BEKSAV).
Gürbüz, who was among those detained in the operation and later jailed pending trial, was indicted on June 3, 2026.
Witnesses describe journalistic activities
The indictment included statements from nine people about Gürbüz. They included secret witnesses as well as people who gave statements under effective remorse provisions, which can allow suspects or defendants to receive reduced sentences in exchange for cooperation with authorities.
The witnesses said Gürbüz worked at ETHA and was active in journalism. A secret witness identified by the code name “MELEK” described Gürbüz as someone who worked as a reporter at ETHA. Another secret witness, identified as “M1L1T2P5Z3,” said Gürbüz had previously been involved with the Socialist Women’s Assembly (SKM) in Istanbul and later served on the Party Council of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), a pro-Kurdish opposition party.
Interview with İbrahim Çiçek cited in accusations
One of the activities cited against Gürbüz was an interview she conducted with İbrahim Çiçek. The indictment described Çiçek as a member of the MLKP Central Committee who is wanted in the red category of Turkey’s list of most-wanted terrorism suspects. Gürbüz’s interview with Çiçek was listed among the evidence cited to support the accusation of membership in the organization.
The indictment did not provide a detailed assessment of the content of the interview.
Attendance at Suruç commemoration also cited as evidence
The indictment also cited Gürbüz’s attendance at a Suruç commemoration held on Feb. 20, 2025, as part of the accusations against her.
On July 20, 2015, 33 people who had gathered at the Amara Cultural Center in Suruç, a district of Şanlıurfa province in southeastern Turkey, were killed in an Islamic State suicide bombing. The group, brought together under the leadership of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), had planned to take toys to children in Kobani, a predominantly Kurdish city in northern Syria that was then caught up in the country’s war.
Gürbüz was also accused of attending an event marking the 30th anniversary of the founding of the MLKP. The indictment cited her participation in the events as part of its assessment that she had carried out activities on behalf of the organization.
ETHA news reports cited as grounds for accusation
A significant portion of the indictment focused on Gürbüz’s work at ETHA.
The indictment alleged that instructions issued by the organization’s Central Committee were published on ETHA’s social media accounts and that actions carried out by the MLKP were reported on the agency’s website in a manner that endorsed them.
Based on those assessments, Gürbüz’s work at ETHA was also cited as evidence of membership in the organization.
Hunger strike and right to remain silent included in indictment
The indictment said Gürbüz went on a hunger strike while in police custody and alleged that the action constituted an “organizational stance.” It also noted that she exercised her right to remain silent when questioned at the police counterterrorism branch.
The indictment further alleged that Gürbüz made social media posts containing “organizational content.”
Prosecutors are seeking Gürbüz’s conviction on a charge of “membership in an armed terrorist organization.”
Gürbüz, who has been jailed pending trial for about seven months, is scheduled to make her first court appearance at 10 a.m. on Sept. 15 before Istanbul’s 25th High Criminal Court.
