RTÜK to investigate Tele 1; all defendants in Saturday Mothers/People case acquitted; prosecutor demands director Kazım Öz be sentenced for “terrorism propaganda”

RTÜK to investigate Tele 1

Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) President Ebubekir Şahin announced that an investigation will be launched against the broadcaster for Merdan Yanardağ's speech on Tele 1's program called 18 Dakika (18 Minutes).

In a post on his social media account, Şahin claimed that Yanardağ “incited the people to hatred and hostility.”

İstanbul Municipality files criminal complaint against five journalists and TGRT Haber

İstanbul Digital Medya A.Ş., a subsidiary of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), filed a criminal complaint against journalists Bekir Tiryaki, Levent Gültekin, Nuray Başaran, Cem Küçük, Mustafa Toköz and TGRT Haber for “spreading false information” about the company.

The statement made on İstanbul Dijital Medya A.Ş.'s social media account X is as follows:

“We have filed a criminal complaint against people who continuously share false/inaccurate posts about our company's activities, make news, and comment on television. All activities of our company, including purchasing processes, have been examined in detail by the Court of Accounts inspectors and no errors or mistakes have been found. Posts stating that 'phones were purchased from our company's budget and distributed to delegates at the CHP congress; a regular budget was transferred to some journalists, and that this information was determined by the prosecutor's office or security units' are false. We will continue to fight the lies of a group of so-called journalists and a network of trolls with a political agenda.”

Arrest warrant for Halk TV Managing Director Serhan Asker

An arrest warrant was issued against Halk TV Programmer and Halk TV Website Responsible Manager Serhan Asker on the grounds that he did not attend the first hearing in the lawsuit filed at Antalya 31st Criminal Court of First Instance on the allegation of “failing to fulfill the judge's decision regarding the blocking of access.”

Asker, whose first hearing was held on 12 March, went to the Ankara Courthouse with his lawyer due to the warrant. The warrant was lifted after Asker gave his statement at the court on duty.

Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation against Asker in 2022 over a news report published on halktv.com.tr in 2021, and an indictment was issued on 28 January 2024.

Saturday Mothers/People acquitted

The 15th hearing in the trial of 46 people who were taken under arrest during the police intervention in the 700th week meeting of Saturday Mothers/People on 25 August 2018, on the charge of “participating in unlawful gatherings and not dispersing despite the warning” (Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations Law 32/1) was held at the İstanbul 21st Criminal Court of First Instance on 14 March 2025.

Some of the defendants and their lawyers were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

Due to the high number of defendants and viewers, the hearing was held in the hall of İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court.

The prosecutor, who presented their final opinion in the previous hearing, reiterated their demand for the acquittal of all defendants, as the material elements of the impugned crime did not occur.

Taking the floor in turn against the final opinion, the defendants repeated their previous statements and demanded their acquittal.

The court acquitted all defendants on the grounds that the material elements of the impugned crime did not occur.

Baransel Ağca's trial adjourned until July

The eighth hearing in the trial of journalist Baransel Ağca on the charge of “unlawful acquisition or dissemination of personal data” for publishing the autopsy report of journalism student Yeldana Kahraman was held at the Elazığ 8th Criminal Court of First Instance on 13 March 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 10 July 2025.

Rüstem Batum’s trial adjourned until October

The 24th hearing in the case against journalist Rüstem Batum on the charge of “Publicly Denigrating the Military and Police Organization of the State” was held at the İstanbul 43rd Criminal Court of First Instance on 13 March 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 2 October 2025.

Prosecutor demands sentencing for director Kazım Öz

The fourth hearing in the lawsuit filed against director Kazım Öz on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” over slogans on the wall in a scene of the movie called “Zer,” which he shot 10 years ago, was held at the İstanbul 24th High Criminal Court on 13 March 2025.

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

Presenting their final opinion on the case, the prosecutor demanded that Öz be sentenced for “terrorism propaganda” on the grounds that “the propaganda made on YouTube through the film was exceeding the limits of expression of thought for the purpose of criticism as the defendant's act was legitimizing or praising the methods of members of the terrorist organization involving force, violence and threats, or encouraging the use of these methods.”

Öz's lawyer Kürşat Bafra said, “This movie was submitted to the Ministry of Culture in 2016. The Ministry of Culture saw and supported this movie that the prosecutor filed a lawsuit against. The graffiti was not written by the client. The graffiti on the wall was made months before the movie was shot.” Bafra stated that the statute of limitations is also in question and asked that the file be sent to the competent court in Tunceli, where the film was shot. Bafra also requested time to make a statement against the final opinion.

Accepting the request for time, the court rejected the request for the file to be sent to Tunceli with a decision of lack of jurisdiction. The presiding judge said that the statute of limitations will be evaluated with the verdict. The trial was adjourned until 10 April 2025.

Click here to read the details of the article.

Journalist Merdan Yanardağ appears before judge

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Merdan Yanardağ on charges of “publicly denigrating the military organization of the state” over his statements in the video titled “AKP’nin siyasi etiği Türkiye’yi hangi noktaya getirdi?” (To what point did AKP's political ethics bring Turkey?) published on Tele 1's YouTube channel on 5 February 2024, was held at the İstanbul 30th Criminal Court of First Instance on 13 March 2025.

Merdan Yanardağ and his lawyer Bilgütay Hakkı Durna were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

After the identification, Yanardağ made his defense and denied the accusation against him.

Yanardağ's lawyer Bilgütay Hakkı Durna said that the elements of the crime attributed to his client did not form. Durna said, “In the indictments, prosecutors no longer discuss the material and moral elements of the crime. Indictments have turned into political texts. If there is an allegation, the prosecutor's office should have investigated whether this allegation was true or not and filed a lawsuit according to the result.” Durna requested time to collect the favorable evidence that the prosecutor’s office had not collected and to prove the truth of the allegations made by his client.

Presenting their final opinion on the case, the prosecutor asked for Yanardağ to be sentenced in line with the indictment.

Yanardağ's lawyer Durna requested time to make a statement against the final opinion. The court accepted the time request and adjourned the trial until 20 March 2025.

Trial of Çağdaş Erdoğan on “terrorism” charges adjourned until July

The 18th hearing in the lawsuit filed against photojournalist Çağdaş Erdoğan on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at the Bursa 1st High Criminal Court on 12 March 2025.

Erdoğan and his lawyer did not attend the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 9 July 2025.

Metin Cihan's trial adjourned until September

The 10th hearing in the lawsuit filed against journalist Metin Cihan on the charge of “insulting a public official” upon the complaint of former Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak was held at the İstanbul 36th Criminal Court of First Instance on 11 March 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 16 September 2025.

Prosecutor demands sentencing for Ayşenur Arslan on charge of “terrorism propaganda”

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Ayşenur Arslan on the charge “terrorism propaganda” over the statements she made in the program “Medya Mahallesi” about the bombing in front of the Ministry of Interior on 1 October 2023 was held at İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court on 11 March 2025.

Ayşenur Arslan and her lawyers were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

After identifying herself, Arslan made her defense and denied the charges against her: “I have never made propaganda, nor would I. I only question and interrogate to understand their targets. My words were misunderstood.”

Ziya İlker Göktaş, one of Arslan's lawyers, said, “In this case, the elements of the crime of propaganda did not form. This indictment is regrettable in terms of freedom of expression and freedom of thought.”

Sebla Öztürk Başarır, one of Arslan's lawyers, said, “The client's aim is to inform the public in accordance with visible reality. The criticism here is purely a journalistic activity” and demanded acquittal.

The prosecutor, who presented their final opinion on the case, considered Arslan's remarks as “statements calling for violence and inciting an atmosphere of violence” and demanded that the journalist be sentenced for the impugned crime.

The court gave Arslan time for an additional defense on the grounds that “the crime was committed through the press.”

The trial was adjourned until 6 May 2025.

Asuman Aranca's trial adjourned until September

The second hearing in the trial of journalist Asuman Aranca over her news article titled “Sinan Ateş cinayeti dosyasındaki bilirkişi raporuna T24 ulaştı: Ateş'in adresini Ülkü Ocakları Başkanı istemiş!” (T24 reached the expert report in the Sinan Ateş murder case: Ateş's address was requested by the head of the Ülkü Ocakları!) on the charge of “violating the confidentiality of the investigation” was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 11 March 2025.

Aranca connected to the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system from Ankara Courthouse. P24 monitored the hearing.

The prosecutor, repeating their final opinion on the case, claimed that “the manner of the news report and the disclosure of the contents of the expert report, despite the lack of public interest, exceeded the limits of freedom of the press and reporting” and demanded that Aranca be sentenced for the impugned crime.

Aranca stated that she wanted to make her defense against the prosecutor’s opinion together with her lawyer and requested time from the court.

The court accepted the request and adjourned the trial until 16 September 2025.

Ferhat Tunç's trial adjourned until June

The 15th hearing in the lawsuit filed against artist Ferhat Tunç on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” over his social media posts was held at the İstanbul 37th High Criminal Court on 11 March 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 10 June 2025.

At least 35 journalists and media workers in prison

According to the latest information obtained by Expression Interrupted, as of 14 March 2025, there are at least 35 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a sentence.

The full list can be accessed here.