Three of nine detained journalists jailed; Asuman Aranca to appear before court over her “Sinan Ateş murder” reporting; Çayan Demirel and Ertuğrul Mavioğlu’s sentences upheld; AKP sues Cumhuriyet daily and Müjdat Gezen

Three of the nine journalists detained in operations in three provinces imprisoned pending trial

The police raided hokes in İstanbul, Ankara and Şanlıurfa on 23 April 2024. In İstanbul, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Esra Solin Dal, Yeni Yaşam newspaper employees Enes Sezgin and Saliha Aras, as well as journalists Yeşim Alıcı, Beste Argat Balcı, Şirin Ermiş and Erdoğan Alayumat; in Ankara MA reporter Mehmet Aslan; and in Şanlıurfa former MA reporter Doğan Kaynak were detained.

On 26 April 2024, the journalists being held at the İstanbul Directorate of Security were taken to the İstanbul Courthouse to give a statement; Aslan, who was held at the Ankara Directorate of Security were taken to the Ankara Courthouse and Kaynak was taken to the Şanlıurfa Courthouse.

Enes Sezgin, Saliha Aras, Yeşim Alıcı, Beste Argat Balcı, Şirin Ermiş and Doğan Kaynak were released after providing a statement.

Esra Solin Dal, Erdoğan Alayumat and Mehmet Aslan were transferred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for their imprisonment on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.” The three journalists were placed in pre-trial detention by the court of peace after providing a statement to the judge.

Esra Solin Dal was placed in Bakırköy Closed Women’s Prison, Erdoğan Alayumut in Metris Prison and Mehmet Aslan in Sincan Prison.

Çayan Demirel and Ertuğrul Mavioğlu’s imprisonment sentences upheld

The imprisonment sentences of 2 years and 1 month each issued to director Çayan Demirel and journalist Ertuğrul Mavioğlu by the Batman 2nd High Criminal Court on 14 December 2023 on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” was upheld by the Gaziantep Regional Court of Justice.

The X account named “Çayan’la Dayanışma,” (“Solidarity with Çayan”) which announced the development, said they would file an appeal with the Court of Cassation.

Demirel and Mavioğlu had been on trial for the Bakur (North) documentary film, which they shot and directed.

Decision not to prosecute in investigation against journalist Zeynep Kuray

The prosecutor’s office has decided not to prosecute as the outcome of the investigation against journalist Zeynep Kuray on suspicion of “spreading false information” over her social media posts concerning the Akbelen Forest protests. The Milas Prosecutor’s Office has stated that “Disturbing and unwelcome expressions come under the freedom of expression.”

In its decision, the prosecutor’s office cited the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Constitution, and remarked that “expressions which may be disturbing, unwelcome, rule non-abiding, concerning, but do not contain violence or incitement to violence also come under the freedom of expression.”

The AKP files action for damages against Cumhuriyet newspaper and Müjdat Gezen

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has filed an action for damages worth TL 50,000 against the Cumhuriyetnewspaper and veteran actor Müjdat Gezen, who writes a column for the newspaper.

The action was based on the expression Gezen used in his column, which was published on 12 March 2024, that read “You AKP, you have fooled the people with Allah, with lies, with bribes. How did you manage to fit so many misdeeds into such a short life?” The AKP has claimed that the expression “you have fooled [the people] with Allah, with lies, with bribes” constitutes a “violation of personality rights” and was written “to cause harm to the party.”

Journalist Asuman Aranca to appear before court over her reporting on the “Sinan Ateş murder”

The İstanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has filed an indictment against T24 reporter Asuman Aranca on the charge of “violating the secrecy of an investigation” over her reporting on the court expert’s report for the murder of former nationalist Turkish Hearths President Sinan Ateş under the title “Sinan Ateş cinayeti dosyasındaki bilirkişi raporuna T24 ulaştı: Ateş'in adresini Ülkü Ocakları Başkanı istemiş!” (T24 Obtains Court Expert’s Report in Sinan Ateş Murder Case; Turkish Hearths President Asked for Ateş’s Address”).

The indictment claims, “Although the matter may be considered newsworthy, the way in which the news was presented and the unnecessary publication of the entire contents of the report and photographs exceed the limits to reporting.”

The first hearing in Aranca is set to be held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 15 October 2024.

Sinan Ateş was killed in an armed attack in the Çukurambar neighborhood of Çankaya, Ankara on 30 December 2022.

Case file conveyed to prosecutor’s office for final opinion in the “Boğaziçi exhibition case”

The 11th hearing in the trial of seven students on the charge of “inciting the people to hatred and enmity” over an image featured in an exhibition held by students protesting then-Rector Melih Bulu, who was appointed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was held at the İstanbul 21st Criminal Court of First Instance on 26 April 2024.

Lawyers Mümtaz Yurtsever and Begüm Kurt were present at the hearing, which the defendant students did not attend.

The court ruled to convey the case file to the prosecutor’s office for the final opinion on the case to be filed and adjourned the trial until 27 September 2024.

Prosecutor requests sentencing in trial of MA and JinNews employees

The fifth hearing in the trial of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) Managing Editor Diren Yurtsever, MA reporters Berivan Altan, Selman Güzelyüz, Hakan Yalçın, Emrullah Acar, Ceylan Şahinli and Zemo Ağgöz, JinNews reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer, former MA intern Mehmet Günhan and journalist Deniz Nazlım on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court on 25 April 2024. The journalists had been detained on 29 October 2022 as part of an Ankara-based investigation, and released on 16 May 2023.

Journalists Selman Güzelyüz and Deniz Nazlım, as well as their lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. The hearing was observed by administrators of the Ankara branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), member lawyers of the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) and representatives of many civil society organizations.

The prosecution requested sentencing of between 7,6 to 15 years of imprisonment for “membership in a terrorist organization” as per article 314/2 of the Turkish Criminal Code and article 3-5/1 of the Counterterrorism Law.

Journalists Nazlım and Güzelyüz, and lawyers requested time to set up a statement against the opinion.

The panel of judges announced its interim order after the defense statements and lifted the judicial control measure of journalists having to sign their name at the police station on regular basis. The court kept in place the ban on the journalists travelling abroad.

The trial was adjourned until 3 July 2024 to allow time for the final defense statements against the prosecutor’s opinion.

Click here for a detailed report.

The court requests all the footage to be delivered in the trial of Deniz Nazlım, Yıldız Tar and Sibel Yükler

The second hearing in the trial of journalists Deniz Nazlım, Yıldız Tar and Sibel Yükler, who were assaulted and detained in Ankara while protesting the arrest of 16 Kurdish journalists, on the charge of “violating the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” was held at the Ankara 71st Criminal Court of First Instance on 25 April 2024.

While lawyers for the journalists Muhammet Ünsal and Gulan Çağın Kaleli Koçer were present at the hearing, Yıldız Tar and Deniz Nazlım did not attend. P24 monitored the hearing.

Both lawyers requested the acquittal of their clients at the end of their defense statements.

Announcing the court’s interim order, the judge ruled to issue a writ to the Ankara Directorate of Security to request all footage from the day of the incident.

The trial was adjourned until 19 September 2024.

Click here for a detailed report.

Journalist and writer Ercan Aktaş’s trial adjourned

The 19th hearing in the trial of journalist and writer Ercan Aktaş on the charge of “denigrating the Turkish nation” over his social media posts was held at the Küçükçekmece 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance on 25 April 2024.

The hearing was held summarily, and the trial was adjourned until 10 October 2024.

Prosecutor repeats final opinion in “FETÖ media structure” retrial

The 10th hearing in the retrial of journalists Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız, whose sentencing in what is publicly known as the “FETÖ media structure case” was overturned by the Court of Cassation, was held at the İstanbul 25th High Criminal Court on 25 April 2024.

The seven journalists and their lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

The prosecutor repeated their final opinion on the case presented at the hearing on 20 April 2024 and requested sentencing for Yakup Çetin, Yetkin Yıldız and Ünal Tanık for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization” as their actions “were continuous, diverse and intense” and sentencing for Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu ve Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu for the crime of “knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization” due to “lack of unequivocal, certain and tangible evidence that the defendants were members of the organization and were included in the organization’s hierarchy.”

The defendants and their lawyers requested time to set up their counter-statement. The court accepted the request and adjourned the trial until 24 September 2024.

“KCK Press Case” adjourned until October

The 31st hearing in the trial of 46 journalists on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization,” “administrating a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” in the “KCK Press Case” was held at the İstanbul 3rd High Criminal Court on 25 April 2024.

Defendant Cihat Ablay’s lawyer was present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

The trial was adjourned until 3 October 2024 for the completion of the missing elements in the case file.

Of the 46 journalists detained in an operation launched against Kurdish journalists on 20 December 2011, 32 were imprisoned pending trial on 24 December 2011. Journalistic activities such as the interviews they carried out, the photographs they took, the press statements they covered, their notes, conversations with news sources and the names of their sources found on their phones are cited as evidence of the charges brought against the journalists in the indictment.

Prosecutor requests sentencing for journalist Sezgin Kartal

The fifth hearing in the trial of Karşı Mahalle reporter Sezgin Kartal on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the İstanbul 22nd High Criminal Court on 25 April 2024.

Kartal’s lawyer Berfin Karaşah was present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

Journalist Haydar Koçak, who attended the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system was heard as a witness. Koçak said, “At the end of September 2014, we started out for Suruç with civil society organizations, including Alawite institutions and associations. I met Sezgin during this trip. I stayed for one night in Suruç and then returned to İzmir. I know that Sezgin did not cross over into Syria from Suruç. We spoke later. If he had crossed the border, I would have known.”

The prosecutor requested sentencing for journalist Kartal for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization” in their final opinion on the case.

Kartal’s lawyer Karaşah requested time to set up their counter-statement. The court accepted the request for time and adjourned the trial until 25 June 2024.

Journalists Kürşat Yılmaz and Görkem Kınacı’s trial adjourned until September

The fifth hearing in the Evrensel newspaper’s Licensed Publisher Kürşat Yılmaz and Managing Editor Görkem Kınacı on charges of “defamation” and “insult” over a complaint filed by Turkuvaz Media Group Vice President of the Board of Directors Serhat Albayrak, which was set for 25 April 2024, was held summarily as the judge for the İstanbul 2ndCriminal Court of First Instance was on leave.

The trial was adjourned until 19 September 2024.

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu’s trial adjourned until October

The fifth hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu on the charge of “publicly insulting a public official” over a complaint filed by Chief Prosecutor Hadi Salihoğlu of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice, which was set for 25 April 2024 was held summarily as the judge for the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance was on leave.

The trial was adjourned until 10 October 2024.

Journalist Nimet Ölmez acquitted of “insulting a public official”

The second and final hearing in the trial of journalist Nimet Ölmez on the charge of “insulting a public official” was held at the Hakkari 1st Criminal Court of First Instance on 24 April 2024. Ölmez was put on trial upon a complaint by Justice and Development Party (AKP) Provincial Chair for Hakkari Zeydin Kaya over her social media post concerning news conveyed by journalist Timur Soykan on a TV program.

Journalist Ölmez, who had given her statement at the Van 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 22 April 2024, did not attend the hearing while her lawyer Fatih Aydın was present. P24 monitored the hearing.

Lawyer Aydın said that Ölmez is a journalist, emphasized that she should be acquitted and cited the judgments by the European Court of Human Rights as precedents.

The prosecutor, who delivered their final opinion on the case following the defense statement requested Ölmez’s acquittal.

The court ruled to acquit Ölmez.

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Action for damages against Furkan Karabay adjourned

The fourth hearing in the action for damages wroth TL 150,000 against journalist Furkan Karabay filed by Antalya Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yakup Ali Kahveci was held at the İstanbul 12th Civil Court of First Instance on 24 April 2024.

Karabay’s lawyer Özge Naz Akkaya attended the hearing, via the e-hearing system. Plaintiff Yakup Ali Kahveci’s lawyer presented an excuse not to attend. P24 monitored the hearing.

Karabay’s lawyer Akkaya requested the court to await the approval of the sentence against her client, which was issued by the İstanbul 30th Criminal Court of First Instance over a complaint by plaintiff Kahveci.

The court ruled to await the approval of the sentence handed by the İstanbul 30th Criminal Court of First Instance to Karabay and adjourned the trial until 20 November 2024.

Journalist Mehmet Salih Turan’s retrial on charge of “terrorism propaganda” dismissed

The second hearing in the retrial of journalist Mehmet Salih Turan on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” over 11 posts on his Twitter account from July 2016 to November 2017, was held at the İstanbul 32nd High Criminal Court on 24 April 2024.

Turan’s lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. Turan did not attend the hearing.

Repeating their final opinion on the case delivered at the first hearing in the retrial on 12 March 2024, the prosecutor requested Turan to be sentenced for the crime of “repeated terrorism propaganda.”

The court ruled to dismiss the case on the grounds that Turan had not reoffended during the 5-year probation period under the deferment of the sentence and had passed the period of probation with good behavior.

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At least 31 journalists and media workers in prison

Following the imprisonment of Esra Solin Dal, Erdoğan Alayumat and Mehmet Aslan, as of 27 April 2024, there are at least 31 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a sentence.

The full list can be accessed here