This week, trials related to journalism and freedom of expression, initiated under various charges, will continue.
Throughout the week, MLSA's Trial Monitoring Unit will share updates from the hearings in both Turkish and English via @MLSADavaTakip.
September 9, Monday
09:00 AM - The fifth hearing of the case against journalist and writer Ercan Aktaş, defended by MLSA, charged with “making propaganda for a terrorist organization,” will take place at Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court.
September 10, Tuesday
09:00 AM - The second hearing of the trial against journalist Can Ataklı, who is accused of “inciting the public to hatred and enmity or degrading” due to his statements regarding a soldier’s father who died in the Pençe-Kilit Operation, will be held at Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:20 AM - The seventh hearing of the trial against Berkin Elvan’s parents, Gülsüm Elvan and Sami Elvan, accused of “insulting the president,” will be held at Istanbul 43rd Criminal Court of First Instance.
11:30 AM - The second hearing of the trial against lawyer Serhat Hezer, charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” based on statements from informant witness Ümit Akbıyık, will take place at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
September 11, Wednesday
10:30 AM - The second hearing of the trial against 87 members and executives of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), charged with “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations” for protesting the Red Crescent for selling tents after the earthquake, will be held at Istanbul Anadolu 44th Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:40 AM - The 11th hearing of the defamation case against academic and Evrensel columnist Ceren Sözeri, filed by Serhat Albayrak, chairman of Turkuvaz Media Group, seeking 200,000 TL for allegedly damaging his commercial reputation, will take place at Istanbul 2nd Commercial Court of First Instance.
September 12, Thursday
09:00 AM - The trial of 15 people, arrested on May 1, 2022, for attempting to march from Şişli to Taksim Square, charged with “participating in illegal meetings and demonstrations without dispersing despite warnings,” will be heard at Istanbul 29th Criminal Court of First Instance.
09:45 AM - The 10th hearing of the trial against Turgut Öker, charged with “insulting the president” due to a speech made on the 37th anniversary of the Maraş massacre, will be held at Istanbul Anadolu 10th Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:40 AM - The third hearing of the lawsuit seeking 50,000 TL in moral damages against journalist Faruk Arhan, filed by former AKP Erzurum MP Zehra Taşkesenlioğlu, will be heard at Ankara Gölbaşı 1st Civil Court of First Instance.
10:45 AM - The second hearing of the trial against lawyer Gurbet Özbey, charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” based on statements from informant witness Ümit Akbıyık, will be held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.
September 13, Friday
09:25 AM - The 16th hearing of the trial against singer Ferhat Tunç, charged with “insulting former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım,” will take place at Büyükçekmece 16th Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:00 AM - The trial against Faruk Eren, accused of not properly publishing a correction and reply, will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:00 AM - The 13th hearing of the trial against 46 people, arrested during a police intervention at the 700th-week gathering of the Saturday Mothers/People in Galatasaray Square, charged with “violating the law on meetings and demonstrations,” will be held at the 21st Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:20 AM - The third hearing of the trial against İnan Kızılkaya, former Editor-in-Chief of the closed Özgür Gündem newspaper, and İhsan Çaralan, who served as Acting Editor-in-Chief for a day, charged with “insulting the president,” will be held at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:00 AM - Three separate trials against journalist Ahmet Sever, accused of “insulting the president” due to his memoir İçimde Kalmasın/Tanıklığımdır (Let It Not Remain Inside Me/My Testimony) and “insulting a public official” based on complaints by former Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Mustafa Şentop and former Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, will be heard back-to-back at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
10:25 AM - The third hearing of the trial against journalist Osman Akın, charged with “insulting the Turkish state, its military, or law enforcement” under Article 301 of the Penal Code due to an article titled “Torture Against Afrin Prisoners,” will take place at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.
