This week, hearings for cases concerning journalism and freedom of expression, filed on various charges, are scheduled to take place.
Former Turkish Medical Association (TTB) President Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, writer Ahmet Nesin and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, will face the judge again this week for their work as editor-in-chief for a day in solidarity with Özgür Gündem newspaper.
Journalist Haluk Kalafat, defended by MLSA, and MLSA case observer Elif Akgül will stand trial for their reporting on the "Armenian Genocide". The trial of journalist Safiye Alağaş, a Dem Party candidate for the Siirt Co-Mayorship, for her news reports, which led to her being imprisoned for a year, will also continue this week.
The Gezi Trial will reconvene this week, involving Ali Hakan Altınay, Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi, and Ayşe Mücella Yapıcı. The 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation has overturned the 18-year prison sentences of Altınay, Ekmekçi, and Yapıcı, while affirming the sentences for Osman Kavala, Can Atalay, Tayfun Kahraman, Mine Özerden, and Çiğdem Mater.
Updates on these hearings will be shared by the MLSA Trial Monitoring Unit on @MLSADavaTakip in Turkish and English.
February 20, Tuesday
- 10.30 – The second hearing of the case against journalist Neşe İdil, defended by MLSA, on the grounds of "propaganda" based on her social media posts, will be held at Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court.
- 10.40 - The retrial of the case filed against Hüseyin Aykol, Ayşe Batumlu Kaya, Eren Keskin and Reyhan Çapan due to "making propaganda for an illegal organization" and "publicly inciting to commit a crime" for their articles in Özgür Gündem newspaper, which was shut down by a Decree Law (KHK), will be held at Istanbul Courthouse 14th High Criminal Court.
- 09.40 – The eighth hearing of the trial of former HDP Diyarbakır MP Çağlar Demirel on charges of "insulting the president" will be held at Diyarbakır 5th Criminal Court of First Instance
- 09.30 - The third hearing of the 10 thousand TL non-pecuniary damages lawsuit filed upon the complaint of Deputy Minister Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu after journalist Barış Pehlivan's articles about the deputy ministers of National Defense will be held at Ankara 23rd Civil Court of First Instance.
- 09.30 - The ninth hearing of the case in which former Turkish Medical Association (TTB) President Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, writer Ahmet Nesin and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, are on trial for having served as editor-in-chief for one day in 2016 in solidarity with Özgür Gündem newspaper, will be held at Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court.
- 16.00 - The third hearing of the case filed against journalist Haluk Kalafat, defended by MLSA, and MLSA case observer Elif Akgül, on charges of "publicly degrading the Turkish nation" due to their news reports on the "Armenian Genocide", will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
February 21, Wednesday
- 09.10 - The 19th hearing of the trial of Jake Hanrahan and Philip Pendlebury, who were arrested while filming a documentary for the US-based news outlet Vice News in Sur during the curfews and were later deported, will be held at Diyarbakır 8th High Criminal Court.
- 09.15 – The 16th hearing of the case in which former German MP Memet Kılıç, who is being defended by MLSA, is on trial for "insulting the President" will be held at Ankara 36th Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 10.20 - The retrial of Ali Hakan Altınay, Yiğit Ali Ekmekçi and Ayşe Mücella Yapıcı, whose sentences of 18 years each were overturned by the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, will begin at Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court.
- 12.00 - The third hearing of the retrial of journalist Hayri Demir's case, in which he is on trial for "illegal organization membership" and "illegal organization propaganda" following the reversal of the Court of Appeal's decision, will be held at Ankara 15th High Criminal Court.,
- 10.40 – The trial of journalist Hayko Bağdat, whose defense was undertaken by MLSA, on the allegations of "insulting the president" and "inciting the public to hatred and hostility" will continue at Istanbul 50th Criminal Court of First Instance.
February 22, Thursday
- 09.10 – The third hearing of the case in which journalist Safiye Alağaş, who was charged with "membership in an illegal organization" due to her news reports, was imprisoned for a year, will be held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
- 09.25 - The fourth hearing of the lawsuit filed against journalist Fırat Bulut under the "censorship law" will be held at Elbistan 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 09.35 - The third hearing of the lawsuit filed against Elazığ Mayor Şahin Şerifoğulları's bodyguard police officer Ö.F.T., who beat journalist Ardıl Batmaz while he was following the news, will be held at Elazığ 5th Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 09.50 - The first hearing of the lawsuit filed against journalist Pelin Özkaptan, defended by MLSA, due to "making illegal organization propaganda" will be held at Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court.
- 10.30 – The second hearing of the case against Emine Şenyaşar, whose two sons and husband were killed in the incidents in Suruç district of Urfa before the 2018 general elections, on the allegation of "publicly degrading the government, the judicial organs of the state, the military or the security organization" will be held at Urfa 5th Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 10.30 - The second hearing of the lawsuit filed against journalist Rojda Oğuz due to 'publicly spreading misleading information' based on a social media post will be held at Bakırköy 19th Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 10.55 - The seventh hearing of the trial of former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ, former HDP Group Deputy Chairpersons İdris Baluken and Çağlar Demirel, and MPs Altan Tan, Ahmet Yıldırım, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Mehmet Ali Aslan and Saadet Becerikli on charges of "resisting to prevent the execution of duty", "insulting a public officer for his duty" and "insulting the President" will be held at Silvan Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 11.10 - The second hearing of the case in which journalist Canan Coşkun is on trial for "targeting people who took part in the fight against terrorism" will be held at Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court.
- 14.00 – The second hearing of the case in which journalist Gözde Bedeloğlu is on trial following a complaint by Nationalist Movement Party MP Sermet Atay will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 14.00 - The trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu due to "insulting a public officer in a chain" will continue at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
- 14.30 – The trial of Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor Pınar Gayıp, who was on trial at Eskişehir 2nd Assize Court for "being an illegal organization member" but was merged with the case at Istanbul 26th Assize Court due to the same charges, will continue.
February 23, Friday
- 09.56 – The trial of the lawsuit filed against writer Gökhan Yavuzel, whose defense was undertaken by MLSA, on the allegation of "public incitement to hatred and hostility" will continue at Şanlıurfa 4th High Criminal Court.
- 10.00 - The case of 70 people, including a journalist, who were detained under torture for participating in the 9th Bosphorus Pride March, will continue at Istanbul 58th Criminal Court of First Instance with the allegations of "violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "resisting the police".
- 10.40 - The lawsuit filed against journalist Burhan Ekinci, defended by MLSA, due to "making propaganda for an illegal organization" through his social media posts, will be held at Istanbul 30th High Criminal Court.
