Expression Interrupted

Journalists and academics bear the brunt of the massive crackdown on freedom of expression in Turkey. Scores of them are currently subject to criminal investigations or behind bars. This website is dedicated to tracking the legal process against them.

Freedom of Expression and the Press in Turkey – 447

Freedom of Expression and the Press in Turkey – 447

Former TRT reporter Elif Akkuş imprisoned; two journalists injured in police intervention on 1 May; Barış Terkoğlu handed jail term; Eren Keskin and Güllistan Yarkın acquitted

Journalist Elif Akkuş imprisoned on “suspicion of evidence tampering”

Former state-run TRT reporter Elif Akkuş, who was previously accused of being behind the posts on an anonymous X (formerly Twitter) account and was released after being jailed due to severe health issues gave a statement on 2 May 2024 as part of an investigation launched upon a complaint by the TRT Board of Inspections. Akkuş was later transferred to the criminal court of peace with a request to be placed in pre-trial detention.

The Ankara 8th Criminal Court of Peace ruled to send journalist Akkuş to prison pending trial on “suspicion of evidence tampering.”

Journalist Akkuş is being accused over the spending she carried out in Libya and Syria “during the war.”

Elif Akkuş, who worked for the TRT for 25 years was suspended with no explanation on 20 April 2023. Following the three month long “suspension from duty measure” Akkuş was not admitted to the TRT officers and then filed a case with the Ankara 25th Administrative Court to being the legal process.

At the time, Elif Akkuş’s lawyer Ersöz said that despite the three-month suspension being over, her client had not been admitted to the TRT offices and had received no response to her petitions. Akkuş was detained in Ankara on 16 October 2023 on suspicion of “being the source of an anonymous X account which posts about claims of nepotism at the TRT”.

Later, Akkuş was admitted to the coronary intensive care unit at the Medicana International Ankara Hospital given her history of illness, constant high blood pressure and “risk of life.” Akkuş was discharged from the hospital on 20 October 2023 and went to the Ankara Courthouse to provide a statement. Although there was no order for Akkuş’s detention, she was accompanied by police officers as per the prosecutor’s instructions. The prosecutor’s office transferred Akkuş to the Ankara Criminal Court of Peace on duty with a request to be placed in pre-trial detention, which the panel of judges accepted.

Akkuş was sent to prison on 20 October 2023 despite her health issues and was released on 15 November 2023.

Two journalists injured in police intervention on 1 May

Journalists Fatoş Erdoğan and Umut Taştan, who were covering the 1 May Workers and Laborers Day celebrations in İstanbul, were injured in the police intervention.

While journalist Umut Taştan suffered an injury to his foot, Fatoş Erdoğan was hit by a plastic bullet.

RTÜK fines reporting on “lobster dish”

İlhan Taşcı, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) member of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has released information on the latest decisions of the council and the fines issued to various media outlets.

RTÜK fined Now TV 2 percent of revenue for “violating the right to privacy” over showing the image of a mobile phone regarding messaging between former Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank and Bilal Erdoğan about the “lobster” post by AKP MP Şebnem Bursalı. AKP MP for İzmir Şebnem Bursalı had shared the image of a lobster dish she had at a high-end restaurant in Monaco on social media.

RTÜK also punished the broadcasting of images of mobile phone conversations showing that the Deputy Minister of Justice had responded to requests for preferential treatment in the exam for promotions. Now TV was fined 2 percent of revenue.

RTÜK fined Tele1 2 percent of revenue on grounds that program guest Rıfat Serdaroğlu describing some politicians as “the palace’s house guard” “had exceeded the limits of criticism.

Siyasi Haber reporter Ekim Veyisoğlu released on judicial control measures

Siyasi Haber reporter Ekim Veyisoğlu, who had taken images of a refugee woman being forcefully detained by the police at the Mecidiyeköy metro station in İstanbul on 28 April 2024, was detained. Veyisoğlu was transferred to the prosecutor’s office on 29 April 2024.

Veyisoğlu, who provided a statement to the prosecutor’s office on suspicion of “resisting to prevent fulfilment of duty” and “violating the right to privacy” was transferred to the İstanbul 8th Criminal Court of Peace with a request to be placed in pre-trial detention.

Veysioğlu was released the same day under judicial control measures.

Ensar Foundation threatens journalist Metin Cihan

In a post on his X account on 30 April 2024, journalist Metin Cihan announced that the Ensar Foundation had threatened him and some media organizations with litigation.

Cihan wrote, “The Enser Foundation is threatening journalists. They say that they will sue me and media organizations which report my posts. I think this is newsworthy in itself.”

Eren Keskin states that journalist Solin Dal was subjected to strip searching in prison

In an X post on 30 April 2024 Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair Eren Keskin stated that journalist Esra Solin Dal was subjected to strip searching at the Bakırköy Closed Women’s Prison.

Keskin wrote, “I saw our dear journalist friend Solin Dal at Bakırköy Prison. She is under arrest for reporting on solitary confinement and femicides. Now she is being held in solitary confinement herself. She was subjected to strip searching at both the police station and when entering the prison. She is a journalist in a dystopia.”

Mezopotamya Agency reporter Dal was arrested on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” and placed in prison on 26 April 2024.

Ziya Çiçekçi’s trial adjourned

The 15th hearing in the trial of shut-down Özgür Gündem newspaper’s licensed publisher Ziya Çiçekçi on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” at the İstanbul 33rd High Criminal Court was held summarily upon the lawyer’s presenting excuses and was adjourned.

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu handed jail term

The 11th hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu on the charge of “marking those assigned with the fight against terrorism as targets” over two news items one of was published on the OdaTV website and the other published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper was held at the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 2 May 2024.

Terkoğlu and his lawyers for the parties were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

The prosecutor repeated their final opinion on the case presented at the ninth hearing on 28 September 2023, and requested sentencing for Terkoğlu for the impugned crime of “marking those assigned with the fight against terrorism as targets.”

Asked for his final statement, Terkoğlu said, “It is not the case that anyone has been marked as a target. What is the case is that the public was informed, and I exercised my right to criticize under the freedom of criticism. I request that you rule for my acquittal, considering my constitutional right.”

The court sentenced Barış Terkoğlu to 2 years of imprisonment for the impugned crime. The panel of judges arrived at the ruling unanimously and did not reduce the sentence due to Terkoğlu’s “attitude and behavior during the trial, personal characteristics and his lack of remorse at the crime he had committed.”

Click here for a detailed report.

Eren Keskin and Güllistan Yarkın acquitted

The third hearing in the trial of Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair Eren Keskin and member of İHD’s Commission Against Racism and Discrimination Güllistan Yarkın on the charge of “denigrating the Turkish nation, the state of the Republic of Turkey, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the government of the Republic of Turkey and the judicial organs of the statewas held at the İstanbul 51st Criminal Court of First Instance. Keskin and Yarkın were on trial over a commemoration event held by the İHD in 2021, on 24 April, which is considered the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Keskin, Yarkın and their lawyers for the parties were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

The prosecutor repeated their final opinion on the case presented at the second hearing on 26 March 2024 and requested sentencing for Keskin and Yarkın for the impugned crime.

Asked for her final statement, Keskin said, “I repeat my opinion that the events of 1915 were genocide. I have the same freedom as those who say ‘It is not genocide.’ I request my acquittal.” In her final statement, Yarkın said, “In our press statement subject to trial, we said that genocide denial was becoming institutional. If we are sentenced, it will be another step towards it becoming institutional” and requested her acquittal.

The court ruled to separately acquit Keskin and Yarkın as the impugned action is not defined as a crime in the law.

Click here for a detailed report.

Court rules to keep journalist Mehmet Kamış in pre-trial detention

The 21st hearing in the trial of imprisoned journalist Mehmet Kamış on the charge of “attempting to destroy the Grand National Assembly of Turkey or preventing it from fulfilling its duties,” “attempting to destroy the Government of the Republic of Turkey or preventing it from fulfilling its duties,” “attempting to destroy the Constitutional order” and “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 2 May 2024.

Kamış and his lawyer Osman Yedekçi, as well as the lawyer for the co-plaintiff Grand National Assembly of Turkey were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

The court heard witness Asıf Parıldar, who said that he knew Mehmet Kamış as a journalist and did not have any knowledge of whether he was connected to the organization. Another witness Yusuf Ahmet Kaymak said, “Mehment Kamış was the deputy editor-in-chief of the Zaman newspaper. I know him as a publisher and a writer. I have not witnessed him being connected to an organization or taking any such action.”

Speaking after witnesses’ statements, Mehmet Kamış said the following: “I did not attend the meeting of the Taşhiye [group]. My job at the newspaper was to check whether the published issue conformed with publication rules. I used to control whether there were errors in headlines, spelling errors and printing errors. I only occasionally attended advertising meetings, as it was not my area. Sometimes I was invited to offer a different perspective. I only remember attending an advertising meeting on ‘invisible glass walls,’ which was held in 2009 or 2010. The case against me was filed 10 months after I had left the paper. I did not turn myself in because I feared not getting a fair trial. All I did at the newspaper is very clear and in compliance with the Law on the Press. I have no connections or relationships with any organizations. I reject the charges.”

Kamış’s lawyer Yedekçi said, “A report on Bank Asya has been included in the case file. The report is internally inconsistent and erroneous. The court expert has added commentary that goes beyond their mandate. My client opened an account in 1998 and kept it until 2016. In March 2014, TL 35,000 was deposited in my client’s account. This amount was deposited by my client’s older brother. This amount remained in his account util the bank was shut down. The comment that the bank account was opened and cancelled upon instructions is false, because my client did not open or cancel the bank account upon instructions.”

Lawyer Yedekçi said that remand is a precautionary measure and requested the release of his client under judicial control measures due to his health issues. Co-plaintiff Grand National Assembly of Turkey’s lawyer requested the missing elements in the case file to be completed. The prosecutor requested the court to keep Kamış’s imprisonment given the nature and quality of the impugned crime, the manner of Kamış’s detention and risk of flight.

The court ruled to keep Kamış in pre-trial detention and to issue a writ to the Directorate of the Marmara Closed Prison to ensure the transfer of Kamış to the nearest fully equipped state hospital to obtain a report on whether there is any risk involved in Kamış’s stay in prison conditions. The trial was adjourned until 25 July 2024.

Mehmet Kamış, former deputy editor-in-chief of the shut-down Zaman newspaper was among the defendants of the court case commonly referred to as the “Altans Case.” The case file for Kamış and nine other defendants for whom detention orders had been issued were separated on 19 September 2017. Also under a detention order, Kamış was taken into custody in İzmir on 22 November 2023. He was transferred to the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 23 November 2023 following his interrogation at the prosecutor’s office and was imprisoned pending trial due to “risk of flight.”

Trial of former DİHA reporter Abdullah Kaya adjourned until June

The 29th hearing in the trial of shut-down Dicle News Agency’s (DİHA) former reporter Abdullah Kaya on charges of “terrorism propaganda” and “aiding a terrorist organization” was held at the Ağrı 2nd High Criminal Court on 30 April 2024.

The hearing, which Kaya attended, began with identification.

Kaya, who is free pending trial, emphasized that journalism is not a crime in his defense statement and said, “It is journalism that is being tried here. Journalistic activities should no longer be considered crimes. This harms the development of the country. In a country where journalism is not free, no one can be free. My confiscated equipment still has not been returned despite the court ruling on 20 October 2020 for its return.”

Kaya said that it had been claimed that his confiscated equipment got lost at the police station asked, “How could things get lost in state custody?”

The presiding judge said that the search for Kaya’s belongings continued and adjourned the case until 25 June 2024 for the missing elements in the case file to be completed.

Journalist Barış Terkoğlu’s trial adjourned until October

The second hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu on the charge of “defamation” over three articles which appeared in the Cumhuriyet newspaper was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 30 April 2024. The court case against Terkoğlu was filed upon the complaint by former İstanbul Anadolu Chief Prosecutor İsmail Uçar, who was elected a member of the Court of Cassation in January 2024.

The case was held summarily due to the judge being on leave and the trial was adjourned until 10 October 2024.

Ministry of National Defense accepted as co-plaintiff in the “Taraf” retrial

The fourth hearing in the retrial of former administrators Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Çongar, Yıldıray Oğur and former reporter Mehmet Baransu of the shut-down Taraf newspaper was held at the Anadolu 2nd High Criminal Court on 29 April 2024.

While the defendants did not attend the hearing, their lawyers Gülçin Avşar, Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu and Çiğdem Koç were present. P24 monitored the hearing.

The lawyer for the Ministry of National Defense repeated their request to join as co-plaintiff. Mehmet Baransu’s lawyer Çiğdem Koç said that the appellate court had rejected the request to join by retired officers who claimed that the case was the Balyoz Case. She said: “This case has nothing to do with Balyoz. There can be no co-plaintiff in this case other than the ministry. The appellate court ruling requires this.”

Ahmet Altan and Yasemin Çongar’s lawyer Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu said, “What we are witnessing is cruelty by means of the judiciary. Despite us saying this is not the Balyoz Case, it is still perceived as such and sometimes even the press reports on it in that way.”

The court accepted the request by the Ministry of National Defense to join the case as co-plaintiff and adjourned the trial until 2 December 2024.

At least 32 journalists and media workers in prison

With the imprisonment of former TRT reporter Elif Akkuş, as of 3 May 2024 there are at least 32 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a sentence.

The full list can be accessed here

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