This week, trials related to journalism and freedom of expression charges will continue. Throughout the week, MLSA Trial Monitoring Unit will share updates from the hearings in Turkish and English via @MLSADavaTakip.
February 3, Monday
09:00 AM – The seventh hearing of journalist and writer Ercan Aktaş, represented by MLSA, will be held at Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court. Aktaş is on trial for "terrorist propaganda."
February 4, Tuesday
10:03 AM – The fourth trial hearing against journalist Merdan Yanardağ will be held at Istanbul 35th Criminal Court of First Instance. Yanardağ is accused of "publicly spreading misleading information" due to his social media post claiming that an assassination attempt was planned against former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
11:00 AM – The fifth trial hearing against 30 defendants, including ‘Ajans Muhbir’ account administrators Süha Çardaklı and Serkan Kafkas, will be held at Ankara 7th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are accused of "inciting hatred and hostility," "threatening to create fear and panic among the public," and "publicly spreading misleading information" due to their posts on X regarding anti-refugee news.
02:00 PM – The second hearing of journalist Barış Pehlivan, who is on trial for "insulting a public official" following a complaint by Boğaziçi University Rector Mehmet Naci İnci, will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The charges stem from his article published in Cumhuriyet newspaper titled ‘Sen misin mahrem bilgilere sahip çıkan!’
02:30 PM – The second trial hearing against journalist Barış Pehlivan will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Pehlivan is on trial for "defamation" and "insult" following a complaint by former Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor and current Court of Cassation member Yüksel Kocaman, due to an article he wrote in Cumhuriyet newspaper.
February 5, Wednesday
09:40 AM – The first hearing of journalist Mimar Kaya, represented by MLSA, will be held at Hakkâri 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Kaya is on trial for failing to comply with an access ban on news related to Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar. The lawsuit was filed following a complaint by Akar under the Law on the Regulation of Internet Publications and Combating Crimes Committed Through These Publications.
10:00 AM – The first hearing of journalist Furkan Karabay, who is on trial following a complaint by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ahmet Burak Erdoğan, Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, and Sümeyye Erdoğan Bayraktar, will be held at Istanbul 56th Criminal Court of First Instance. The case is based on Karabay’s interview with Mirgün Cabas on YouTube on January 19. He faces charges of "publicly insulting the president," "repeated public insult," and "repeated defamation."
10:00 AM – The 20th hearing of the trial against artist Ferhat Tunç, who is accused of "inciting hatred and hostility" due to his social media posts, will be held at Büyükçekmece 4th Criminal Court of First Instance.
February 6, Thursday
09:00 AM – The first hearing of JINNEWS reporter Melek Avcı, who is on trial for "terrorist propaganda" based on news-related social media posts, will be held at Ankara 19th High Criminal Court.
10:00 AM – The trial of CHP’s 7th Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, accused of "publicly insulting a public official" during his tenure as opposition leader, will continue at Mersin Criminal Court of First Instance. In the case, five separate files were merged under the accusation of "public insult to a public official due to their official duties."
10:15 AM – The 12th hearing of the trial against former HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ, former HDP parliamentary group leaders İdris Baluken and Çağlar Demirel, and former MPs Altan Tan, Ahmet Yıldırım, Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Mehmet Ali Aslan, and Saadet Becerikli will be held at Silvan Criminal Court of First Instance. The charges stem from their attempt to hold a press statement during curfews in Silvan. They are accused of "resisting to prevent duty," "insulting a public official," and "insulting the president."
10:00 AM – The third hearing of SES Ankara Branch member and former IHD Central Executive Board member Adnan Vural will be held at Ankara 2nd High Criminal Court. Vural is on trial for "membership in a terrorist organization" and "terrorist propaganda" due to his participation in the White Flag Initiative’s peace call press statement.
02:30 PM – The second hearing of journalist İsmail Arı, who is on trial for "insult" and "defamation" following a complaint by Nişantaşı Education Foundation founder Levent Uysal, will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The charges stem from Arı’s news reports and TV statements.
February 7, Friday
10:00 AM – The 10th hearing of the retrial of 15 public officials, including seven in pre-trial detention, accused of responsibility in the assassination of Agos newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Hrant Dink, will be held at Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court. The case was reopened following a ruling by the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation.
02:00 PM – The retrial of sociologist and writer Pınar Selek in the Egyptian Bazaar bombing case will continue at Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court. Selek has been acquitted four times in this case, which has been ongoing for a quarter of a century. This is the sixth trial following a reversal by the Court of Cassation.
02:20 PM – The third hearing of journalist Orhan Bursalı, who is on trial for "illegally obtaining and disseminating personal data" after allegedly sharing the identity details of a foreign national on social media, will be held at Istanbul Anadolu 28th Criminal Court of First Instance.
