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.
Two journalists killed in drone attack; Kazım Güleçyüz released; 10 journalists detained in Van; Murat Verim handed jail term
Two journalists killed in drone attack in Syria
Journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were reporting from Syria, were killed in a drone attack on 19 December 2024.
According to reports, the drone involved in the attack was owned by Turkey.
Cihan Bilgin was a reporter for the Hawar News Agency (ANHA), which is based in Haseke. Nazım Daştan, who worked as a freelance journalist, had most recently been reporting for the Fırat News Agency.
Ten journalists detained in Van
The police intervened the press statement in Van on 20 December 2024 concerning the drone killing of two journalists in Syria and detained 10 journalists and many politicians.
The statement, led by the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and the Mezopotamya Women Journalists Association (MKG) was also supported by the Van Labor and Democracy Platform. The police encircled Sanat Street before the statement and broke up the group which included journalists and politicians. Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporters Ruken Polat, Özlem Yacan, Mazlum Engindeniz and Sema Yüce Polat, Ajansa Welat reporters Bazid Evran and Fırat Tunç, JinNews reporter Memihan Zeydan; Zelal Tunç, Oktay Candemir and Nimet Ölmez were detained.
Journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who had been reporting from Syria, were killed in a drone attack on 19 December 2024.
Murat Verim sentenced to imprisonment
Upon the finalization of the sentence handed to imprisoned journalist Murat Verim by the İpsala Criminal Court of First Instance, the deferment of the sentence was lifted and a sentence of 1 year and 3 months of imprisonment was issued to the journalist.
The verdict has been issued in the case against the shut-down DİHA reporter Verim on the charge of “terrorism propaganda,” in which a deferment of the sentence ruling had previously been issued.
After the Mardin 3rd High Criminal Court had ruled for deferment of the sentence in 2019, a separate case over the same social media post was filed against Verim with the Midyat High Criminal Court, which issued an imprisonment sentence of 3 years. Following the verdict by the Midyat High Criminal Court, another case against Verim was filed with the Yozgat 2nd High Criminal Court based on a “report.” Although the Yozgat 2nd High Criminal Court identified the new case against Verim to be barred by double jeopardy but opined that the sentence issued for the post containing a photograph of the journalist with YPG members and featuring the phrase “Bijî berxwedana Kobanê” to be too lenient and raised it to 4 years and 6 months of imprisonment. The court discounted the time served by Verim, who was sentenced to imprisonment three times over the same social media post, and ruled for Verim to serve an additional three months of time.
Meanwhile, a new case against Verim for “violating the borders” was filed with the İpsala Criminal Court of First Instance and the case resulted in Verim being denied certain rights. Upon the finalization of this verdict and the approval of the previously finalized 3 years of imprisonment, Verim was imprisoned pending trial on 16 September 2024 and placed in the Erzurum Type H High Security Prison. A case had also been filed with the Mardin 3rd High Criminal Court to announce the verdict against Verim subject to the deferment of the sentence. Verim attended the 18 December 2024 hearing in the trial via the judicial videoconferencing system, while his lawyers Erdal Kuzu and Rıdvan Bilbil were present in the courtroom.
The court sentenced Verim to 1 year and 3 months of imprisonment.
Nevşin Mengü detained
The İstanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office began an ex officio investigation against journalist Nevşin Mengü on the claim that the interview she had carried out with PYD Presidential Council member Salih Müslim “included expressions praising the terrorist organization.”
Mengü was detained in the morning of 14 December 2024 and released later the same day under judicial control measures.
Tankut Serttaş and Nisan Çıra detained while covering demonstration
The police intervened the demonstration held under the motto “Give us our right to a decent life and secure employment” held in Çankaya, Ankara on 15 December 2024.
Fifty-three people, including sendika.org reporters Tankut Serttaş and Nisan Çıra were detained. Some people were injured in the police attack.
All detainees were released on 16 December 2024.
Two investigations against Aslıhan Gençay over her reporting on Hatay municipality
Two investigations have been launched against journalist Aslıhan Gençay over her reporting on “claims of corruption and irregularities at municipalities in Hatay.”
Former Hatay Mayor Lütfü Savaş’s brother and former HATSU executive Metin Savaş, who was named in the reporting on corruption, filed a criminal complaint against Gençay in February 2024. The petition submitted to the Hatay Chief Prosecutor’s Office, which referred to Gençay as “a social media user” listed the posts concerning the news items “Lütfü Savaş Dosyası-2: Rönesans’ta Öl, ‘Rüşvet’le Kadro Ol!” (Lütfü Savaş Files: Death at Rönesans; Positions Through Bribery) prepared by Gençay and published on P24 as evidence of the alleged crime.
The second investigation against Gençay over her reporting was launched upon a criminal complaint filed by the former Samandağ Mayor Refik Eryılmaz.
Investigation into Evren Demirdaş’s reporting on tender ends in decision not to prosecute
The Elazığ Chief Prosecutor’s Office has concluded the investigation launched against Sözcü newspaper reporter Evren Demirdaş over his reporting on a road construction tender by stating “the freedom of expression is one of the main elements forming the basis of a democratic society.”
Demirdaş had reported on the Provincial Special Administration affiliated with the Governor’s Office of Elazığ holding a tender for the transportation of materials to village roads and roller operating, and that the tender had been held on a negotiated tendering basis due to “urgency.” Demirdaş stated that the tender worth TL 5.5 million had been won by the Demkar Grup Transportation Construction and Mining Company and wrote the following: “The negotiated tendering method, which may be used in times of disaster, war, epidemics and for priority work has become the favorite method of provincial special administrations, as well as AKP-held municipalities. The Provincial Special Administration affiliated with the Governor’s Office of Elazığ has held the tender worth millions for the transportation of materials to village roads using the negotiated tendering method, citing article 21/C on ‘Circumstances in which the tender must be held urgently due to the emergence of special conditions concerning defense and security’ despite there being no security issues in the city.”
Following Demirdaş’s reporting about the Governor’s Office of Elazığ and the Provincial Special Administration had filed criminal complaints with the Elazığ Chief Prosecutor’s Office for “false news and ungrounded allegations.”
Müsavat Dervişoğlu's bodyguards attack journalists
The Executive Board of the Association of Journalists of Turkey has released a statement concerning İYİ Party Chairperson Müsavat Dervişoğlu’s bodyguards attacking journalists in Çorum and stated “We request perpetrators to be punished.”
The bodyguards attacked journalists in Çorum to prevent them from following Dervişoğlu’s visit and injured Çorum Haber newspaper reporter Volkan Sınayuç, İHA reporter Halil Can Özeker, Leblebi TV Editor-in-Chief Erkan Karaca, Çorum Net TV licensed broadcaster Engin Erenler and Haberci19 licensed publisher Cuma Şahin.
Kazım Güleçyüz released from prison after first hearing
The first hearing in the trial of Yeni Asya newspaper Chief Editor Kazım Güleçyüz and three others on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” was held at the İstanbul 28th High Criminal Court on 19 December 2024. The defendants, who are charged with “terrorism propaganda” were imprisoned pending trial on 23 October 2024 following social media post they shared after the death of Fethullah Gülen.
Güleçyüz, two of the other defendants and their lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.
Delivering his defense statement following identification, Kazım Güleçyüz said, “I have been a journalist for 33 years. I have been investigated and prosecuted several times since 28 February 1997. However, I had never been jailed until 23 October 2024. I was denied my rights and freedoms with a decision taken in complete violation of the presumption of innocence. My right to dignity has been violated.”
Güleçyüz spoke in defense of the post subject to the case and said, “To call a person who has died ‘late’ is a part of our belief and culture. This should not be grounds for punishment. Even if this person is an enemy, even if he is facing trial on the heftiest chargers, when he dies all trials are over and accusations are dismissed. The General Staff released a statement of condolences for Kenan Evren, one of the architects of the 12 September coup d’etat who later faced trial. There is no legal explanation for arriving at such an accusation from a message of condolences that is four sentences long. Elements of the crime of propaganda have not formed.” Güleçyüz rejected the impugned charge and requested his release and acquittal.
Güleçyüz’s lawyer Mustafa Özbek requested the case to be tried separately for each defendant, as there were no connections among the defendants. Lawyer Özbek also said that the social media post subject to the trial did not include elements of the crime of “terrorism propaganda” and requested the acquittal of his client.
The prosecution requested the continued imprisonment of the defendants given “the nature and quality of the impugned crime and the current status of evidence.”
The court ruled to release Kazım Güleçyüz and another defendant. The trial was adjourned until 4 March 2025.
Özgür Gündem re-trial adjourned
The 10th hearing in the retrial of Hüseyin Aykol, Ayşe Batumlu Kaya, Eren Keskin and Reyhan Çapan, who were administrators and contributors of the now defunct Özgür Gündem newspaper was held at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court on 19th December 2024. The defendants are facing charges of “terrorism propaganda” and “incitement to commit crime” over the news items published in the newspaper.
The prosecutor requested their final opinion on the case presented at the previous hearing and requested sentencing for Aykol, Keskin, Kaya and Çapan on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” for “featuring news item and articles which legitimized, praised and supported terrorist actions.”
The court adjourned the trial until 26 December 2024 to arrive at a decision.
Journalist Metin Cihan’s trial adjourned
The fourth hearing in the trial of journalist Metin Cihan on the charge of “illegally obtaining or disseminating personal data” and with a news case file was held at the İstanbul 22nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 18 December 2024. Cihan is facing trial over sharing the Youth Foundation of Türkiye (TÜGVA) documents which allegedly show the undue obtaining of positions within the state.
No parties attended the hearing, which P24 monitored.
The court ruled to await the execution of the order for Cihan’s detention and adjourned the trial until 20 June 2025.
At the 28 April 2023 hearing in the trial of Cihan along with defendant Ramazan Aydoğdu who allegedly leaked the TÜGVA documents, the court sentenced Aydoğdu to imprisonment while separating Cihan’s file and recording it under a new case number.
Journalists İzel Sezer and Batuhan Batan acquitted
The sixth hearing in the trial of İleri Haber Editor-in-Chief İzel Sezer and Managing Editor Batuhan Batan on charges of “insult” and “defamation” over a complaint filed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s former lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal was held at the İstanbul 25th Criminal Court of First Instance on 17 December 2024.
At the hearing, which İzel Sezer and her lawyers attended, the prosecutor repeated their final opinion on the case presented at the previous hearing and requested the acquittal of Sezer and Baran for both charges.
The court ruled to acquit Sezer and Baran of both charges as the impugned action was not defined as a crime in the law.
“FETO media structure” retrial adjourned until January 2024
The 13th hearing in the retrial of journalists Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız was held at the İstanbul 25th High Criminal Court on 17 December 2024.
Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin, Yetkin Yıldız and their lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.
The prosecutor repeated their final opinion on the case delivered on 20 April 2024 and requested sentencing for Yakup Çetin, Yetkin Yıldız and Ünal Tanıul for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization” as their actions were “continuous, diverse and intense” and requested sentencing for Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu and Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu for the crime of “knowingly and willingly aiding a terrorist organization” as “no unequivocal and concrete evidence could be found indicating that the defendants were a part of the organization’s hierarchy and were members of the organization.”
Although a verdict had been expected at this hearing, the trial was adjourned until 23 January 2025 due to some defendant’s lawyers presenting excuses.
The 16th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, which finished examining the appeal in March 2020 overturned the initial verdict and sent the case back to the court of first instance for a retrial on grounds that Memiş, Kalyoncu, Çulhaoğlu, Tanık, Çetin and Yıldız, who had been sentenced to imprisonment for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization” should have been tried on the charge of “aiding a terrorist organization.”
Journalist Tolga Şardan’s trial adjourned until May 2025
The second hearing in the trial of T24 contributor Tolga Şardan on charges of “spreading false information” and “publicly denigrating the judicial organs of the state” over his reporting on claims of “corruption in the judiciary” was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 17 December 2024.
Şardan and his lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.
The prosecutor for the hearing repeated their final opinion on the case presented at the previous hearing and requested sentencing for Şardan for the impugned crimes of “spreading false information” and “denigrating the judicial organs of the state.” The prosecutor also requested the defense to be allowed time to prepare an additional defense, as the actions had been committed through the press.
Delivering his defense against the opinion, Şardan said, “The National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Presidency or the Presidency have not filed criminal complaints against me following the publication of the piece in question. This investigation began ex officio. During my trial, the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) published two circulars. Looking at these circulars, I could see the actions of the state subject to the report. I reject the impugned crime.” Şardan also presented an additional defense statement against the TCK 301 charge upon the request of the prosecutor and rejected the impugned crime.
Özlem Günel Tekşen, one of Şardan’s lawyers, requested the acquittal of her client as elements of the impugned crime had not formed.
Mustafa Gökhan Tekşen, another lawyer for Şardan, presented the expert’s opinion prepared by lawyer-at-law Benan Molu on behalf of P24 to the court and stated that elements of the crime had not formed as per European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) jurisprudence. Tekşen requested the acquittal of his client from both charges.
The court adjourned the trial until 22 May 2025 to examine the expert’s opinion presented by lawyer Tekşen.
Çiğdem Akbayrak’s retrial for “insulting the president” begins
The Constitutional Court ruled for the deferment of the sentence for journalist Çiğdem Akbayrak in the case against her on the charge of “insulting the president” to be a rights violation. The first hearing in the retrial, which subsequently began at the 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Trabzon Regional Court of Justice was held at the İstanbul Küçükçekmece 5thCriminal Court of First Instance on 18 December 2024 upon an order for the relocation of the hearing.
Akbayrak and her lawyer Emine Özhasar were present at the hearing.
The prosecutor delivered their final opinion on the case and requested sentencing for Akbayrak on grounds that her social media post crossed the boundaries of criticism and was of a nature to harm the honor, dignity and standing of a person. Akbayrak’s social media post read “Dilerim sonun gelir Tayyip Erdoğan. Bu yaptıklarını yapan hiçbir diktatör, hasta yatağında ölmedi” (I hope you will meet your end Tayyip Erdoğan. No dictator which did the things you have done has died peacefully in their bed.)
The trial was adjourned until 15 January 2025 for the defense lawyers to set up a defense against the prosecutor’s opinion.
Şerife Oruç’s trial adjourned until April 2025
The 29th hearing in trial of journalist Şerife Oruç on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Batman 2nd High Criminal Court on 17 December 2024.
The court ruled to inquire into the outcome of the ongoing investigation file against Oruç in Diyarbakır, keep in place the order for Oruç’s detention, and await the execution of the order.
The trial was adjourned until 24 April 2025.
At least 27 journalists and media workers in prison
Following the release of journalist Kazım Güleçyüz, as of 23 December 2024, there are at least 27 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a finalized prison sentence.
The full list can be accessed here.