EYLEM SONBAHAR
In Istanbul, the trial of journalists who were detained during a press statement in Kadıköy supporting their colleagues arrested in Diyarbakır and Ankara has been postponed due to incomplete procedures. The second hearing of the case, involving journalists Pınar Gayıp, Eylem Nazlıer, Yadigar Aygün, Serpil Ünal, Esra Soybir, and Zeynep Kuray, represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), was held at the 22nd Criminal Court of First Instance of Istanbul Anadolu.
The charge against the journalists is "participating in an unlawful assembly and demonstration without dispersing despite warnings," stemming from their arrest on April 29, 2023. The court decided to wait for a response to a judicial request sent to the 34th Criminal Court of First Instance in Antalya regarding the defense statement of journalist Esra Soybir, which has not yet been received.
In the absence of the accused journalists, their lawyers, Devrim Avcı Özkurt and Ezgi Köse, attended the session. The court has postponed the hearing to June 13, 2024, pending the completion of missing elements in the case.
The arrests and subsequent trial have highlighted ongoing concerns regarding freedom of the press in Turkey, where journalists frequently face legal challenges related to their professional activities, particularly when these activities involve coverage of sensitive political issues.
