Deniz Tekin
A Turkish court on Tuesday ruled to keep a travel ban in place for journalist Nurcan Yalçın, who is on trial for alleged “membership in a terrorist organization” and “financing of terrorism.” The third hearing in her case was held at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court in southeastern Turkey, where Yalçın was represented by her lawyer, Resul Temur.
Temur argued that Yalçın should not be subject to judicial control measures such as her obligation to sign in at a police station or the international travel ban, noting that the merged case files against her did not previously include such restrictions. He said these measures had been imposed only during the investigation phase and requested they be lifted.
The court decided to lift the requirement for Yalçın to sign in at a police station but ruled that the international travel ban would remain in effect. It also ordered that the status of an ongoing investigation at the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office be requested and decided that witness Kibariye Evren, who was unable to testify due to a recent leg injury, would be heard at the next session. The next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 7, 2025.
Yalçın was originally charged in 2020 with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorist propaganda” in an indictment filed by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The charges were based on her work at the Rosa Women’s Association, her journalism with the women-focused news agency Jinnews, and her social media posts.
In 2021, she was sentenced to two years and one month in prison for “committing crimes on behalf of an organization without being a member” and to one year, six months and 22 days for “terrorist propaganda.” However, an appellate court later overturned that verdict.
A separate case was later opened under Turkey’s Law on the Prevention of the Financing of Terrorism, after authorities alleged that Yalçın had transferred 400 Turkish lira (approximately $13 at current exchange rates) to the prison account of a cellmate of journalist Kibariye Evren. Yalçın was detained for two days in that case and then released under judicial control.
