This week, various trials related to journalism and freedom of expression will continue to be heard. Throughout the week, the MLSA Case Monitoring Unit will share updates from the hearings in both Turkish and English via their Twitter account @MLSADavaTakip.
Monday, September 23
09:35 – The first hearing in the trial against journalist Evrim Kepenek, charged with "publicly disseminating misleading information" under the so-called "Censorship Law" for a social media post made following the February 6 earthquakes, will take place at Istanbul 13th Criminal Court of First Instance. The MLSA Legal Unit will also support Kepenek's defense at the hearing.
Tuesday, September 24
09:30 – The trial in the 100,000 TL non-pecuniary damages lawsuit filed by the Ministry of National Defense against Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Council Chairperson Şebnem Korur Fincancı will be heard at Ankara 2nd Civil Court of First Instance.
09:35 – The trial of journalist Abdullah Kaya, who is represented by MLSA and charged with "membership in a terrorist organization" and "making terrorist propaganda," will continue at Ağrı 2nd High Criminal Court.
09:40 – The trial of Erkan Çapraz, Owner of Yüksekova News Portal, and Editor-in-Chief Ömer Oğuz, charged with "making terrorist propaganda," will be heard at Hakkari 1st High Criminal Court.
10:15 – The 12th hearing in the retrial of journalists Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin, and Yetkin Yıldız, charged with "knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization" and "membership in a terrorist organization," will take place at Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court.
10:10 – The fourth hearing in the trial of eight individuals, who were detained following the ban on the film screening organized by the Cinema Collective of the Foundation for Research in Science, Aesthetics, Culture, and Arts (BEKSAV) during Pride Month, charged with "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911)," will be held at Istanbul Anadolu 45th Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:00 – Journalist İsmail Arı will appear in court for the first time at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, in a trial stemming from a complaint filed by Levent Uysal, founder of Nişantaşı Education Foundation, accusing Arı of "defamation" and "slander" due to his reports and TV appearances.
Wednesday, September 25
10:40 – Sinan Aygül, the first journalist to be arrested under the "Censorship Law" for sharing a post on social media about allegations of sexual abuse of a child in Tatvan, will face retrial at Tatvan 1st Criminal Court of First Instance. Aygül's 10-month prison sentence was overturned by the Court of Cassation, and the case was sent back to the local court.
Thursday, September 26
09:00 – Twenty-six individuals who participated in a memorial event for the 41 miners who lost their lives in the Amasra disaster will appear for the third time at Ankara 65th Criminal Court of First Instance, charged with "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911)."
09:05 – The 21st hearing in the trial of journalist Can Dündar, charged with "publishing and disseminating terrorist organization propaganda" for his participation in the "Co-Editor-in-Chief" solidarity campaign with the now-closed Özgür Gündem newspaper, will be held at Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court.
09:05 – The fifth hearing in the trial of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Mehmet Şah Oruç, charged with "membership in a terrorist organization" and "making terrorist propaganda," will take place at Bitlis 2nd High Criminal Court.
09:30 – The eighth hearing in the trial of 16 individuals detained during the "Freedom for Sick Prisoners" vigil organized by the Solidarity Initiative with Prisoners, charged with "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911)," will be held at Bakırköy 51st Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:35 – The second hearing in the retrial of journalist İsmail Eskin, whose 3-year, 1-month, and 15-day prison sentence for "making terrorist propaganda" was overturned by the Court of Cassation, will take place at Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court.
10:35 – The eighth hearing in the trial of journalists Barış Pehlivan and Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu, who are facing charges of "insulting the president" and "insulting a public official" for their news report on the Republican People’s Party (CHP) brochure titled “SaBıKa Holding,” will be held at Istanbul 15th Criminal Court of First Instance. The charges were filed following complaints from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, former Minister and Czech Republic Ambassador Egemen Bağış, former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Council of State member Esat Toklu, Constitutional Court member İrfan Fidan, Court of Cassation member Tekmen Savaş Nemli, Deputy Justice Minister Hasan Yılmaz, Presidency of Defense Industries Chair İsmail Demir, and Presidential Advisor Korkmaz Karaca.
Friday, September 27
10:00 – The second hearing in the trial of 76 members of the SOL Party, who were detained during a protest against the Turkish Red Crescent following the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on March 1, 2023, and journalists Asena Tunca, Ezgican Ceylan, and Ahmet Can Sarıkaya, who were detained while covering the protest, will take place at Istanbul Anadolu 14th Criminal Court of First Instance. They are charged with "violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911)."
11:00 – The 12th hearing in the trial of seven Boğaziçi University students charged with "publicly insulting religious values" for their involvement in a campus exhibition featuring a "Shahmaran figure with an LGBTQ+ flag and the image of the Kaaba," will be held at Istanbul 21st Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:10 – The second hearing in the trial of journalist Evrim Kepenek, charged with "violating the confidentiality of the investigation" for her report on the death of a two-year-old child allegedly due to sexual abuse in Istanbul's Beylikdüzü district, will take place at Büyükçekmece 9th Criminal Court of First Instance. Kepenek had been threatened following her report, and the child's family is involved in the case as plaintiffs. The MLSA Legal Unit will support Kepenek’s defense.
12:30 – The final hearing in the trial of Cihan Kolivar, President of the Bread Producers’ Union, who was arrested for stating in a live broadcast, “Bread is the basic food of foolish societies. These leaders rule our society for 20 years because they are fed with bread,” will be held at Istanbul 17th Criminal Court of First Instance. The case is expected to be closed due to Kolivar's death. He was charged with "publicly insulting a section of the public based on social class differences," "publicly insulting the Turkish nation," and "insulting the president."
