This week, trials on various charges related to journalism and freedom of expression will continue. Throughout the week, MLSA's Trial Monitoring Unit will share updates from the hearings in both Turkish and English on the @MLSADavaTakip account.
July 1, Monday
09:30 AM – The trial of Onur Öncü, defended by MLSA, who is charged with “publicly disseminating misleading information” under the “censorship law,” will begin at the Küçükçekmece 26th Criminal Court of First Instance.
July 2, Tuesday
09:00 AM – The trial of journalist-author Ercan Aktaş, defended by MLSA, on charges of “insulting the president,” will be held at the Küçükçekmece 15th Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:35 AM – The sixth hearing of the trial against journalist Baransel Ağca, charged with “unlawfully obtaining or disseminating personal data” for publishing the autopsy report of journalism student Yeldana Kaharman, who died under suspicious circumstances at her home in Elazığ on March 28, 2019, will be held at the Elazığ 8th Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:20 AM – The second hearing of the trial against journalist Furkan Karabay, who was detained for 11 days, charged with “targeting persons involved in the fight against terrorism” and “publicly insulting a public official,” will be held at the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court.
02:00 PM – The fifth hearing of the trial against journalists Haluk Kalafat and Elif Akgül, defended by MLSA, on charges of “publicly insulting the Turkish nation” for their articles on the “Armenian genocide,” will be held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
July 3, Wednesday
09:30 AM – The first hearing of the trial against 12 people detained during home raids following the May 1 march in Saraçhane, charged with “resisting to prevent the execution of duty,” “participating in unlawful meetings and demonstrations without arms and failing to disperse despite warning,” “intentional injury,” and “damaging public property,” will be held at the Istanbul 25th Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:25 AM – The 18th trial hearing against former member of the Federal German Parliament Mehmet Kılıç, defended by MLSA, on charges of “insulting the president,” will be held at the Ankara 36th Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:00 AM – The fifth hearing of the trial against 11 journalists from Mezopotamya News Agency (MA) and JinNews in Ankara, charged with “membership in an organization,” will be held at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court.
02:00 PM – The sixth hearing of the trial against journalist Barış Pehlivan and former Cumhuriyet Publishing Coordinator Mustafa Büyüksipahi, charged with “insulting a public official” for their articles about Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) member Hamit Kocabey, will be held at the Ankara 19th Criminal Court of First Instance.
02:00 PM – The seventh hearing of the trial against 42 people, detained and beaten during the 2nd Ankara Pride March, charged with “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations,” “resisting to prevent the execution of duty,” and “simple injury,” will be held at the Ankara 52nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
02:00 PM – The 27th hearing of the trial against 23 people, including Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor İsminaz Temel, former ETHA reporter Havva Cuştan, Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Co-chair Özlem Gümüştaş, and lawyers from the Oppressed People's Law Bureau (EHB), charged with “membership in an organization” and “making propaganda for an organization,” will be held at the Istanbul 27th High Criminal Court.
July 4, Thursday
09:05 AM – The eighth hearing of the trial against journalist Metin Cihan, charged with “insulting a public official” following a complaint by President Erdoğan’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak, will be held at the Istanbul 36th Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:20 AM – The fourth hearing of the civil compensation case against Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council President Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, filed by the Ministry of National Defense over her statements regarding the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Turkish Armed Forces, will be held at the Ankara 2nd Civil Court of First Instance.
10:45 AM – The second hearing of the trial against Dr. Yusuf Eryazğan, President of the Şanlıurfa Family Physicians Association (ŞUHAED), charged under the “censorship law” for his statements about vaccine supply problems on a TV program, will be held at the Istanbul 32nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
02:00 PM – The eighth hearing of the trial against journalists Barış Terkoğlu and Barış Pehlivan, authors of the book ‘Metastaz 2: Cendere,’ and journalists Can Bursalı, Nevzat Çiçek, Doğan Akın, and Gökmen Karadağ, charged with “publicly insulting” and “slander” based on a complaint by President Erdoğan’s former lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal, will be held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
July 5, Friday
10:40 AM – The third hearing of the trial against Metin Cihan, charged with “unlawfully obtaining or disseminating personal data” for exposing documents about the Turkish Youth Foundation’s (TÜGVA) staffing, government appointments, improper building allocations, and transfer of public resources to the foundation, will be held at the Istanbul 22nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:00 AM – The ninth hearing of the trial against journalist Yağmur Kaya, defended by MLSA, and 51 Boğaziçi University students, charged with “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations,” will be held at the Istanbul 17th Criminal Court of First Instance.
