This week, hearings will be held for various cases related to journalism and freedom of expression. In Ankara, 10 journalists will stand trial on charges of 'membership in a terrorist organization'. On the same day, journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu, who is also the co-chair of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, will have a trial in Diyarbakır.
MLSA Trial Monitoring Unit will keep everyone updated on these trials, sharing information in both Turkish and English through our @MLSADavaTakip account, be sure to follow us on X/Twitter.
January 16, Tuesday
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13.30 - The trial of Kürşat Yılmaz, the publisher of Evrensel newspaper, and Görkem Kınacı, the managing editor, is scheduled to take place at the 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance in Istanbul. They are being charged with "slander" and "insult" following a complaint from Serhat Albayrak, the Deputy Chairman of Turkuvaz Media Group's Board of Directors.
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11.30 - The trial of documentary director Sibel Tekin on the allegations that she "filmed police and prison vehicles" in her documentary 'Life Beginning in Darkness' and thus "conducted reconnaissance on behalf of a terrorist organization" will continue at Ankara 26th Assize Court.
January 17th, Wednesday
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10.55 – The trial of the case filed against journalist Furkan Karabay, a reporter for the news website Gerçek Gündem, due to "insult" for his tweets about Deputy Ministers of Justice Akın Gürlek and Hasan Yılmaz and Constitutional Court Member İrfan Fidan, will begin at Ankara 16th Criminal Court of First Instance.
January 18, Thursday
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10.25 - The case filed against climate and energy expert Önder Algedik under the "disinformation law" based on his social media posts about the activities of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) after the February 6 earthquakes will begin at Ankara 24th Criminal Court of First Instance.
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13.30 – The trial of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) Managing Editor Diren Yurtsever, Ankara News Chief Deniz Nazlım, agency reporters Berivan Altan, Selman Güzelyüz, Hakan Yalçın, Emrullah Acar, Zemo Ağgöz and Ceylan Şahinli, JinNews reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer, and former MA intern Mehmet Günhan on charges of "illegal organization membership" will be held at Ankara 4th High Criminal Court. MLSA Legal Unit will support the defense of the journalists.
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14.00 – Journalist Furkan Karabay, a reporter for the news website Gerçek Gündem, will also stand trial this week in a case filed by President Erdoğan's lawyers on charges of "slander" and "insult". The hearing will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
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10.30 - The trial of journalist-writer Ercan Aktaş, defended by MLSA, will continue at Küçükçekmece 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance within the scope of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which includes the crimes of "degrading the Turkish nation, state, parliament, government and judicial organs".
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09.35 - The case filed against JinNews reporter Rozerin Gültekin due to "violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations" for covering a march in Bursa against the pro-Turkey regime, will be heard at Bursa 18th Criminal Court of First Instance.
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11.00 - The trial filed against ANKA Editor-in-Chief Mansur Çelik, following a complaint filed by Deputy Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, on charges of "targeting people who took part in the fight against terrorism" will be heard at Ankara 22nd High Criminal Court.
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11.50 - The lawsuit filed against Dicle Müftüoğlu, Co-Chair of Dicle Fırat Journalists' Association (DFG), who has been under arrest for nearly nine months, due to "establishing and leading an illegal organization" and "being a member of an illegal organization" with a prison sentence of up to 37.5 years, will be heard at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
