Murat Ağırel and Timur Soykan arrested in house raids; director Kazım Öz acquitted; final opinion to be filed in trial of journalists detained at Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin commemoration

Murat Ağırel and Timur Soykan arrested in house raids

Journalists Murat Ağırel and Timur Soykan were taken under arrest in a raid in the morning hours of 7 April as part of an investigation launched by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Computer cases, hard disks, laptops, and other digital materials were examined at the homes of Ağırel and Soykan.

The journalists were taken to the İstanbul Courthouse in the evening where they were referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for imprisonment. After the hearing, Ağırel and Soykan were released under judicial control measures including a ban on leaving the country and a requirement to check in police station on a regular basis.

The journalists were reportedly detained on charges of “threat” and “blackmail” upon the complaint of Erkan Kork, the owner of Flash TV and Bank Pozitif, who is in pre-trial detention due to a money laundering investigation.

Eren Öner released on house arrest

Detained former Bursa Muhalif daily Managing Editor Eren Öner has been sentenced to four months of house arrest and released.

Öner was detained at the courthouse where he had gone to testify on Monday (7 April) and taken to Bursa Security Directorate. After completing his statement procedures at the police station, Öner was referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace in the morning with a request for imprisonment.

Journalist Öner was released on house arrest and under judicial control measures.

Lawsuit filed against 7 journalists who were jailed and released during Saraçhane protests

An indictment has been filed against journalists who were detained while covering the protests against the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and his colleagues. The prosecutor's office demanded that seven journalists covering the Saraçhane protests be sentenced on the charge of “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.”

Following the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and people close to İmamoğlu, 11 journalists were detained while covering the protests in İstanbul and İzmir on 23 and 24 March. On 25 March, photojournalists Kurtuluş Arı, Gökhan Kam, Bülent Kılıç, AFP photojournalist Yasin Akgül, Now TV reporter Ali Onur Tosun, journalist Zeynep Kuray and Hayri Tunç were initially released. However, within a few minutes, the prosecutor changed their mind and objected to the release, and the journalists were taken to court again, where they were sent to prison. Seven journalists were released from Silivri Prison on 27 March following an appeal.

Criminal complaint against TRT and AA executives

Former Association of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV) President Ömer Faruk Eminağaoğlu filed a criminal complaint against state-run TRT and state-run Anadolu Agency executives for “abuse of office” for not broadcasting the Maltepe Rally held on 29 March.

In his criminal complaint to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Eminağaoğlu said, “Over 2 million and 200 thousand people attended the open-air meeting organized by the CHP in Maltepe, İstanbul on 29 March 2025. Even though some media outlets have falsely shown this number to be much lower, the event was a newsworthy event in terms of both its subject and content and was widely covered even in the world press. The constitutional right of the public to learn the truth from the Turkish press with impartiality cannot be prevented.”

Access to X accounts of two journalists blocked

Journalists Umut Taştan and Elif Çetiner's x accounts have been blocked.

Journalists will continue to post on the accounts @umuttastangzt and @CetinerElf.

Final opinion to be filed in trial of journalists detained at Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin commemoration

The first hearing in the trial of journalists Zeynep Kuray, Can Papila, Gülistan Dursun, Hayri Tunç, Enes Sezgin, Osman Akın, Pelin Laçin, Pınar Gayıp and six other defendants who were detained during a press statement held in Şişhane to commemorate murdered journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin was held at the İstanbul 24th High Criminal Court on 11 April 2025.

Gülistan Dursun, Serpil Ünal, Hayri Tunç, Osman Akın, Can Papila and Enes Sezgin are charged with “terrorism propaganda” and “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations,” while Zeynep Kuray and other defendants are charged with “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.”

All defendants and their lawyers were present at the hearing.

Announcing its verdict after the defense statements, the court ruled that the cases against journalists Kuray, Aygün, Laçin and one other defendant be separated and sent to the criminal court of first instance.

The court adjourned the hearing until 27 May 2025 for the final opinion on the case regarding other defendants to be filed.

Director Kazım Öz acquitted

 

The fifth hearing in the lawsuit filed against director Kazım Öz on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” over slogans on the wall appeared in a scene of the film “Zer” he shot 10 years ago was held at the İstanbul 24th High Criminal Court on 10 April 2025.

 

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

 

The prosecutor, repeating their final opinion on the case presented at the hearing on 13 March, requested that Öz be sentenced for the impugned crime.

 

The court acquitted Öz as there was insufficient evidence of the specific intent required for the impugned crime.

Secret witness to be heard in Mehmet Şahin's case

The second hearing in the retrial of Xwebûn newspaper writer Mehmet Şahin on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” over some meetings and press statements he attended as well as some meetings with news sources was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 10 April 2025.

Şahin and his lawyer Resul Temur attended the hearing.

The court decided to merge the case against Şahin together with 20 other journalists with the case at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court.

The court ruled to hear the secret witness with the pseudonym Ulaş and adjourned the trial until 19 June 2025.

Singer Ferhat Tunç's trial adjourned until July

The 15th hearing in the trial of singer Ferhat Tunç on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 8 April 2025.

Tunç, who resides abroad, as well as his lawyer Fatma Hopikoğlu did not attend the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 8 July 2025.

Neşe İdil acquitted of both charges

The second hearing in the trial of journalist Neşe İdil on charges of “denigrating religious values” and “praising an offense or an offender” was held at the Anadolu 60th Criminal Court of First Instance on 8 April 2025.

İdil and her lawyer Didare Hazal Sümeli were present at the hearing.

İdil said, “I do not believe that I committed a crime, I wrote it within the scope of freedom of expression. The post you showed has already stayed on the account for an hour at most.”

Upon the judge's question, İdil stated that she accepted the deferment of the announcement of the verdict.

In its final opinion on the case, the prosecutor's office demanded İdil to be sentenced for the charges.

The court acquitted Neşe İdil of both charges.

İdil was on trial on charges of “publicly denigrating religious values espoused by a section of the public” and “praising crime and criminals” for two posts she made on her Twitter account.

Sibel Hürtaş acquitted at first hearing

The first hearing in the lawsuit filed against journalist Sibel Hürtaş on the charge of “insulting a public official” was heldat the Ankara 55th Criminal Court of First Instance on 7 April 2025.

In 2020, journalist Sibel Hürtaş, who was forcefully detained while covering a protest in front of the Parliament in 2020, was sentenced to 8 months and 10 days in prison in 2023 at the Ankara 37th Criminal Court of First Instance on the charge of “resisting to prevent the execution of duty.” The prison sentence was later converted into a judicial fine of TL 10,000. A police officer filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office after Hürtaş used the term “torturer” in her defense against the police officers who battered her. Upon the complaint, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Hürtaş on the charge of “insulting a public official.”

Hürtaş and her lawyer Sercan Aran were present at the hearing.

Taking the floor first, Hürtaş described the ill-treatment she was subjected to by the police officer for whom she used the term “torturer” and how the complainant police officer said “die already, I want you to die” during this ill-treatment. Hürtaş stated that the statements she used in her defense were made within the scope of the right to defense.

Following the defenses, the prosecutor declared their final opinion on the case, stating that the expression “torturer” against the police officer was not an insult but a vulgar expression and that the elements of the crime did not form.

The court acquitted Hürtaş.

At least 32 journalists and media workers in prison

Following the release of imprisoned Radio Dünya Editor-in-Chief Kenan Karavili, who was in jail since 2009, as of 11 April 2025, there are at least 32 journalists and media workers in pre-trial detention or imprisonment in Turkey.

The full list can be accessed here.