- In the first week of January, in trials held within the scope of freedom of expression, at least seven journalists, one artist, 12 bar association executives, one lawyer, and 168 women and LGBTQ+ individuals were prosecuted; a decision was made in only one case, while many cases were postponed.
- Although an acquittal decision was issued in the case in which Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and 11 board members were tried, the fact that the trial was held in the Silivri Prison Complex kept fair trial debates on the agenda.
- Throughout the week, practices that undermined the right to a fair trial — such as delayed start times of hearings, changes in judges, rejection of witness requests, and the presence of police officers in courtrooms and courthouse corridors — drew attention.
MLSA - Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu and board members continued to be tried on charges of “propaganda for an organization” (Anti-Terror Law Article 7/2) and “publicly disseminating misleading information” (Penal Code Article 217/A) due to their statement titled “Let International Humanitarian Law Be Applied” regarding the killing of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin in Syria. The third hearing of the case was held in the Marmara Penitentiary Campus in Silivri, about 85 kilometers from Istanbul. The hearing lasted five days in total. The court ruled that the elements of the alleged crimes did not occur and issued an acquittal decision for Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Kaboğlu and the board members. Lawyers chanted the slogan “The defense did not remain silent, and it will not remain silent.”
Among the prominent cases of the week was journalist Barış Pehlivan appearing before the judge in two separate trials held on the same day. Pehlivan was tried at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on charges of “insulting a public official,” “slander,” and “insult” due to articles published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper following complaints by Boğaziçi University Rector Mehmet Naci İnci and former Ankara Chief Prosecutor and current Court of Cassation member Yüksel Kocaman. Due to a change in judges, both cases were taken under review and postponed to September 17, 2026.
The only case in which a verdict was issued during the week was the one opened due to news reports and posts regarding the prosecutor who carried out the investigation into the Yenidoğan gang. In the trial held at Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, three journalists and one lawyer were tried. The hearing started about 30 minutes late; the small size of the courtroom drew attention, and three plainclothes police officers remained in the courtroom due to security reasons, which was recorded in the minutes by the defendants. The court rejected the defense’s request to hear three witnesses, one of whom was a secret witness. As a result of a closed session, journalists Nilay Can, Veysi Dündar, and Dinçer Gökçe were acquitted, while lawyer İrem Çiçek was sentenced to 10 months in prison for “publicly disseminating misleading information”; the announcement of the verdict was deferred.
Singer Fatih Karaca, known as Mabel Matiz, appeared before a judge for the first time today at Istanbul 54th Criminal Court of First Instance on the charge of “obscenity” due to the lyrics of his song Perperişan. When the judge asked Karaca, “Was this song written for a man?”, Karaca said: “Anyone can sing a song for anyone. It’s not my place to set the boundaries for that.” The prosecutor requested that the file be referred to the Ministry of Family, and the judge accepted. The prosecutor requested that the case be referred to the Ministry of Family and Social Services, and that a report be obtained from the General Directorate of Child Services' Board for the Protection of Minors from Obscene Publications to determine “whether the song lyrics are obscene.” The court accepted the prosecutor’s requests and asked for the file to be referred to the Ministry of Family.
The trial began for 168 women and LGBTQ+ individuals who were detained during the protest held on November 25, 2024, the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women,” and 30 people were heard at the first hearing. One defendant, in their defense, said: “We are not here today as perpetrators of a crime, but as those who defend life against crimes that have been committed and left unpunished for years. What is presented to us here as a crime is going out on the street against male violence. We want life.” During the hearing, a request was made to hear T24 reporter Can Öztürk, who is represented by MLSA and was subjected to police intervention while covering the protest. The court did not make a decision on the request. The next hearing was scheduled for April 8.
The second hearing of the trial of journalist Joakim Medin — represented by MLSA — who was detained and arrested at Istanbul Airport on March 27 while coming to cover the protests that began after CHP's presidential candidate and Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s sentencing, was held today. Medin is being tried on the charge of “membership in an armed terrorist organization.” MLSA’s legal team was present at the hearing. In its interim decision, the court decided to wait for a response to the letter rogatory sent to Sweden and postponed the trial to May 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
In the personal rights lawsuit filed by Milat newspaper Ankara representative Özlem Doğan over journalist Onur Öncü’s post on X in which he used the words “charlatan, cunning hitman,” the court — where MLSA represented the defense — rejected the case. The court found that requesting a condemnation and publication of the decision was not legally possible. The plaintiff, Özlem Doğan, was ordered to pay 45,000 TL in attorney fees and trial costs.
The ninth hearing in the case against journalist Hakkı Boltan, who is being tried on charges of “insulting the President” and “insulting a public official,” was held at Diyarbakır 12th Criminal Court of First Instance. Hakkı Boltan and his lawyer Resul Tamur did not attend the hearing. In the hearing where the lawyer submitted an excuse, the court panel added the prosecutor’s opinion submitted in the interim hearing to the file. The opinion requested that Boltan be punished. The court gave time for the final defense. A decision is expected at the next hearing, which was postponed to April 14 at 11:50 a.m.
Throughout the week, the presence and behavior of police officers towards observers and journalists — both in courtrooms and around courthouses — drew attention, and in most of the trials, the substance of the cases could not be addressed due to changes in judges.
Other developments of the week
Throughout the week, not only in courtrooms but also in different areas concerning freedom of expression and press freedom, important developments occurred.
It was announced that the first hearing of cinematographer Koray Kesik — who is being tried on the charge of “terrorist propaganda” for his work in the Bakur documentary — will be held on April 2, 2026, at Batman 2nd High Criminal Court.
In the autopsy report on the death of journalist Hakan Tosun, multiple signs of assault and fractures were found on his body. In the same week, social media posts marking the 30th anniversary of journalist Metin Göktepe’s death in custody reignited debates about impunity.
It was reported that police intervened against journalists who were covering a press statement protesting HTS’s attacks on Aleppo, and that some journalists were assaulted. Meanwhile, at the request of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, access from Turkey to the X accounts of Mezopotamya Agency and Jinnews was blocked.
In the field of digital rights, Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş announced that a regulation limiting social media use for children under the age of 15 would be submitted to Parliament, sparking new debates in terms of freedom of expression and children’s rights.
