- Seven hearings were monitored during the week of March 2, with 72 people standing trial. Thirty-eight defendants were acquitted, two defendants were sentenced to 1 year, 3 months and 18 days in prison, and three cases were adjourned.
- In the Saraçhane case, in which 35 people — including journalist Engin Deniz İpek — were acquitted, the heavy police presence and radio communications affected the order of the hearing.
- Some hearings started late; small and poorly ventilated courtrooms made it difficult to follow the proceedings.
- Detentions of journalists were also on the agenda during the week: Three journalists were detained over a broadcast from İncirlik Air Base and later released under judicial control, while it was also announced that some journalists broadcasting from Turkey had been detained in Israel.
Among the week’s hearings, lawyer Adile Salman — who was on trial on the charge of “being a member of an organization” based on the statements of informant Ümit Akbıyık — was acquitted at the eighth hearing in a case heard by the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court, in southeastern Turkey. The court announced its verdict on the case file and ruled for Salman’s acquittal; details of the case were included in our news report.
The fifth hearing in the trial of journalist Nurcan Yalçın, heard by the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court, was postponed to Sept. 22, 2026, in order to complete missing elements in the case file. The hearing in Yalçın’s case started late due to the court’s workload, while the court ruled as an interim decision to lift the journalist’s travel ban; details of the development were included here.
In a case heard by the Batman 9th Criminal Court of First Instance, in southeastern Turkey, where journalist Sonya Bayık is being tried together with 31 other people, the proceedings regarding the charge of “violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” did not conclude at the 18th hearing. The court decided to wait for the execution of an arrest warrant and adjourned the hearing to June 9, 2026; details of the case were included in our news report.
In the Saraçhane case heard by the Istanbul 64th Criminal Court of First Instance, the court ruled to acquit 35 people — including journalist Engin Deniz İpek — who had been detained during a rally marking the 100th day of the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The court concluded that the legal elements of the alleged crime had not been formed; details were included in our news report.
In another case, BirGün columnist Zafer Arapkirli, who was on trial on the charge of “insulting the president” over a social media post, was also acquitted. The Istanbul 60th Criminal Court of First Instance ruled for Arapkirli’s acquittal on the grounds that the elements of the crime had not been formed; details of the decision were included here.
In the case of journalist Vedat Örüç, heard by the Mersin 6th High Criminal Court in southern Turkey, the trial was postponed to June 9, 2026. In the case filed on the charge of “membership in an organization,” the court decided to wait for a response to an official letter sent to the Ankara Regional Criminal Police Department, while also lifting the travel ban imposed on Örüç.
In another case monitored on the last day of the week, the court announced its ruling regarding former Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) Chair Orhan Turan and TÜSİAD High Advisory Council Chair Ömer Aras. The court acquitted the two figures of the charge of “attempting to influence a fair trial,” while sentencing them separately to 1 year, 3 months and 18 days in prison on the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information.”
Problems observed in courtrooms
Various procedural and physical problems that could affect the right to a fair trial were also observed during hearings monitored throughout the week. In some hearings, sessions began late due to the courts’ workload or delays by the judicial panel.
In particular, in some hearings in Istanbul, the courtrooms were small and poorly ventilated, and physical conditions made it difficult for the parties and lawyers to follow the proceedings.
In the Saraçhane case, the request to move to a larger courtroom due to the insufficiency of the current hall was not accepted, while a heavy police presence in the courtroom and in the surrounding corridor drew attention. It was observed that plainclothes police officers entered the courtroom and that radio communications outside made it difficult to hear the discussions inside.
It was also noted in some case files that judges recorded defense statements only in summary form in the official minutes.
Investigations highlighted during the week
A decision of non-prosecution was issued in the investigation into journalist Sultan Mercan, which had been ongoing for approximately 16 months; details of the file were included here.
Accusations directed by the Ministry of National Education against the signatories of the declaration “We Defend Secularism Together” were also on the agenda throughout the week; details were included in news report.
It was also announced that the Kahramanmaraş Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation following a complaint by court-appointed experts against journalists Timur Soykan and İsmail Arı — who had reported on earthquake-related trials — as well as some earthquake victims. The complaint by experts who had prepared reports in favor of defendants in earthquake cases against journalists and earthquake victims was recorded as a new source of investigative pressure; details were included here.
During the week, the first installment of MLSA’s “Prison Portraits” series was also published, featuring an interview in which ETHA editor Pınar Gayıp shared her experiences through answers she sent from prison; the text was published here.
Other developments during the week
ANKA News Agency Editor-in-Chief Kenan Şener, Koza TV reporter Sergen Ölçer, Koza TV General Manager Mehlika Bilen and Adana Metropolitan Municipality employee Güral Bıçakçı — who were detained over a live broadcast from İncirlik Air Base — were referred to the on-duty Criminal Judgeship of Peace after procedures at the prosecutor’s office. The judgeship ruled to release the journalists under judicial control in the form of a requirement to sign in once a week; details of the investigation were included in our news report.
MLSA also filed applications with the Constitutional Court regarding the cases of journalist Sibel Yükler and journalist Ömer Sönmez. MLSA submitted an individual application on behalf of journalist Sibel Yükler, who had been detained over a social media post in 2023 and applied on the grounds that the compensation awarded in her lawsuit was insufficient; details of the application were included here. In addition, MLSA applied to the Constitutional Court on the grounds that no effective investigation had been carried out regarding police intervention against journalist Ömer Sönmez while he was covering news at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan two years ago; details of the file were included here.
CNN Türk reporter Emrah Çakmak and cameraman Halil Kahraman, who were broadcasting live from Israel, were detained in Tel Aviv. In addition, social media posts by Ensonhaber Editor-in-Chief İlyas Efe Ünal and writer Adem Metan announcing that they had also been detained in Israel drew public attention.
Journalist Özlem Gürses said she was targeted after footage from a television broadcast was cut and circulated out of context.
Among developments announced during the week was also the rejection of an appeal against the detention of journalist Alican Uludağ.
Meanwhile, it was also reported that Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) announced a broadcast ban regarding an incident at Taşdelen Borsa Istanbul Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, and that a confidentiality order and broadcast ban were imposed in the investigation into the death of a mother and her 8-year-old daughter in Istanbul.
