The anonymous witness heard in the trial of Abdurrahman Gök, who is being tried over his news reports and social media posts, stated, “I did not witness any other actions besides his news reports”

ARDIL BATMAZ, DİYARBAKIR

The ninth hearing in the trial of the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) editor Abdurrahman Gök on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 25 November 2025.

Gök and his lawyers were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

The new indictment filed by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Gök on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was combined with the existing case file. Defending himself on the combined case file, Gök said, "It all comes back to my taking photos of Kemal Kurkut. These photos are the real reason I am being tried. I am a journalist and have never had any other profession besides journalism. I have been on trial in these courts for years; the statements of the anonymous witness are not true. I share my experiences with those who are new to the profession. The announcements of the training I provide through workshops are made on social media accounts. There is a statement that perceives even this as a crime, which I do not agree with. I want my acquittal and the lifting of the ban on leaving the country.”

After Gök, the secret witness K8Ç4B3L1T5 was heard. The anonymous witness said, “Abdurrahman Gök works as a manager at MA, and we had connections with him at that time. I know he established contact with the organization in Syria. But I do not know with whom he established contact. I know he made publications in line with the organization's aims and objectives.”

In response to the presiding judge's question, “Are your statements based on sight or hearsay?” the witness replied, “I saw the news reports Abdurrahman Gök made in Syria. I did not witness any other actions besides the news reports.”

Gök, responding to the witness' statement, said, “I last went to Syria through official channels in 2017 and covered the Raqqa operation. The MA was opened towards the end of 2018. Therefore, the witness is lying. Anyone who googles my name will see where I report the news; this is not confidential information."

Mehmet Emin Aktar, one of Gök's lawyers, said, “As can be understood from other cases, Abdurrahman Gök is an adversary of the Turkish Republic's security forces. Accusing someone of a crime based on an abstract claim is a grave injustice.”

Lawyer Resul Temur recalled that confidential witness K8Ç4B3L1T5 stated in his 2022 testimony that “he is a manager at MA” in reference to Sedat Yılmaz. Temur said, “Today, we did not even feel the need to question the anonymous witness who used the same statement for Abdurrahman Gök because he had no information.” Aktar and Temur requested that the international travel ban on their clients be lifted. The prosecutor, however, requested that the ban continue.

The court decided to inquire about the outcome of Gök's case at the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation but rejected the requests to lift the international travel ban. The trial was postponed until 26 February 2026.

Background of the case

Journalist Abdurrahman Gök, who was detained during house raids on 25 April 2023, as part of an investigation based in Diyarbakır, was imprisoned pending trial on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.”

In the indictment filed by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Gök's news articles published by the Mezopotamya Agency, his social media posts, book reviews, some books in his library, social security records showing that his insurance was paid by the Mezopotamya Agency, and his telephone conversations with journalists were presented as evidence of his guilt.

Gök was released at the second hearing on 5 December a2023, but an international travel ban was imposed on him.