This week, trials on journalism and freedom of expression, initiated under various charges, will continue to be heard.
MLSATrial Monitoring Unit will share updates from the hearings in Turkish and English via @MLSADavaTakip.
Monday, May 27
09:20 – The trial of 24 people, including journalist Öznur Değer, who were detained during the "We Can't Make Ends Meet" protest in Ankara, will be heard at the 18th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are accused of "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "resisting the enforcement of the law."
09:25 – Following the reversal decision of the appellate court, the retrial of journalist Nurcan Yalçın on charges of "membership in a terrorist organization" and "making terrorist propaganda" will commence at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court. Yalçın was previously sentenced to 3 years, 7 months, and 22 days in prison in this case.
Tuesday, May 28
09:00 – The first hearing of the trial of eight people, including members of the Socialist Laborers' Party, who were detained and beaten while distributing election leaflets in Ankara, will be held at the Ankara 38th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are accused of "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "damaging public property."
09:30 – The first hearing of the trial of lawyer Fırat Taşkın, who is charged with "membership in a terrorist organization" based on his legal activities, meetings with colleagues, statements to the press about rights violations in prisons, and participation in press statements, will be held at the Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court.
10:00 – The trial of sociologist-writer Veli Saçılık, who is charged under the 'Censorship Law' for his social media posts about the February 6 earthquakes, will be heard at the Ankara 10th Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:00 – The trial of 13 people, including lawyers and journalists, who were detained during a protest in Ankara following the appointment of Melih Bulu as the rector of Boğaziçi University, will be heard at the Ankara 7th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are accused of "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "resisting the enforcement of the law."
11:00 – The seventh hearing of the trial of journalist Sultan Eylem Keleş and four others, who were detained while covering the strike of BİMEKS workers and are accused of "insulting a public official" and "resisting the enforcement of the law," will be held at the Istanbul 56th Criminal Court of First Instance. MLSA is representing Keleş.
11:00 – The second hearing of the trial of journalist Pelin Özkaptan, who is charged with "making terrorist propaganda" based on her social media posts, will be held at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. MLSA is representing Özkaptan.
11:50 – The second hearing of the compensation lawsuit filed by President Erdoğan's former lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal against journalist Furkan Karabay, demanding 250,000 TL, will be held at the Istanbul 32nd Civil Court of First Instance.
Wednesday, May 29
09:30 – The tenth hearing of the trial of Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Ahmet Nesin, and Erol Önderoğlu, who are charged for acting as editors-in-chief for a day in solidarity with the Özgür Gündem newspaper, will be held at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. This case has been ongoing for over seven years.
Thursday, May 30
11:00 – The ninth hearing of the trial of 13 people who were detained during the Ibrahim Kaypakkaya commemoration event in Tuzluçayır, Ankara, on May 20, 2021, will be held at the Ankara 69th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are accused of "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "resisting the enforcement of the law."
11.20 - The first hearing of the case filed against journalist Melisa Gülbaş due to "insulting a public official" upon the complaint of Dr. Mehmet Turan, a faculty member at Boğaziçi University Computer Engineering Department, based on a news article published on Gerçek Gündem website, will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
Friday, May 31
10:00 – The fourth hearing of the retrial of 15 public officials, seven of whom are detained, who are held responsible for the murder of Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of Agos newspaper, will be held at the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court, following the reversal of the previous ruling by the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals.
