May 29 - The trial of Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Ahmet Nesin, and Erol Önderoğlu, who have been on trial for over eight years for serving as guest editors-in-chief of the newspaper Özgür Gündem for a single day, has been postponed once again due to procedural delays.
The 10th hearing of the case against the President of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council, Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, and writer Ahmet Nesin, was held at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. They participated in the campaign to show solidarity with Özgür Gündem, a newspaper facing significant pressure from authorities.
Defense attorneys Abbas Yalçın for Önderoğlu and Berfin Karaşah for Fincancı attended the hearing. Observers from the French and Dutch consulates, Amnesty International Turkey Campaigns Manager Milena Buyum, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Turkey representative Özgür Öğret, and a Media and Law Studies Association observer were also present.
The presiding judge noted the absence of a response to the international request for Nesin's defense statement and questioned Önderoğlu about his commitment to attend future hearings. Önderoğlu affirmed his dedication, stating, "I come to court two or three times a week to follow journalist trials. I will continue to attend the hearings."
The court decided to wait for the response to the request for Nesin's defense statement and adjourned the hearing to October 15.
**Background on the case**
On May 3, 2016, Özgür Gündem initiated a "Guest Editor-in-Chief" campaign to draw attention to the pressures on the newspaper and to advocate for freedom of expression. The campaign concluded on August 7, 2016. During this period, 49 of the 56 guest editors-in-chief were investigated for their symbolic roles, being held accountable for the newspaper's content on their respective days.
On June 20, 2016, three guest editors-in-chief—Erol Önderoğlu, Ahmet Nesin, and Şebnem Korur Fincancı—were arrested but released ten days later. Subsequently, other members of the newspaper's advisory board, including writer and linguist Necmiye Alpay and writer Aslı Erdoğan, were also arrested but released after four months.
The investigations led to various outcomes: some participants were acquitted, while others faced charges under anti-terrorism laws for "making propaganda for a terrorist organization" and "publishing statements of terrorist organizations."
Prominent individuals, including Murat Çelikkan and Ayşe Düzkan, received prison sentences. Çelikkan served his sentence starting August 14, 2017, and was released on October 21, 2017. Düzkan began her sentence in Bakırköy Women's Prison after the appeals court upheld her 18-month sentence.
While several were acquitted, the acquittal decisions for Önderoğlu, Fincancı, and Nesin were overturned on appeal, leading to the ongoing legal proceedings.
