Swedish journalist Joakim Medin handed jail term; Melek Avcı acquitted; Havva Gümüşkaya detained while covering protest; RTÜK Chairman Ebubekir Şahin to file criminal complaint against YouTuber Ebru Oruç; all defendants acquitted in "Boğaziçi exhibition trial"

Barış Pehlivan indicted upon complaint by former AKP district chairman

Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist Barış Terkoğlu announced that an indictment had been filed against Barış Pehlivan on charges of “illegally obtaining or disseminating personal data” following a complaint by a prosecutor working at the Kilis Courthouse.

Terkoğlu stated that the prosecutor, who was the former AKP Şehitkamil (Gaziantep) District Chairman, had filed a complaint against Pehlivan after he shot a person he had argued with in traffic during his tenure as district chairman and it was revealed that he had been a member of an association allegedly linked to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization.

RTÜK Chairman Ebubekir Şahin to file criminal complaint against YouTube broadcaster Ebru Oruç

Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) President Ebubekir Şahin announced that the necessary legal process had been initiated against Ebru Oruç, the manager of the YouTube channel “Sokak Kedisi” (Stray Cat), for the responses she gave to a citizen in a street interview, and that a criminal complaint would be filed with the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Şahin said, “We will never tolerate such content that incites hatred and enmity in society and fuels discrimination. Our monitoring of street interviews will be tightened and continued with determination.”

In an interview broadcast on the YouTube channel “Sokak Kedisi,” Oruç, had said to the person she was interviewing, “I see you as someone who is extremely biased and narrow-minded,” which saw criticism from some users on social media.

BirGün reporter Havva Gümüşkaya detained while covering protest

BirGün daily reporter Havva Gümüşkaya was detained along with 30 other people while covering the “Youth on Their Feet” march in Ankara on 25 April.

Gümüşkaya was taken to the police station after undergoing a health check. She was released at around 3:00 a.m. after giving a statement to the police.

Police block journalists at 1 May demonstrations

The government took extensive measures regarding the 1 May celebrations in Istanbul.

Barricades were erected in front of journalists in Mecidiyeköy district. Members of the press were pushed and forcibly removed from the area.

Security Directorate’s ban on audio and video recording overturned once again by the Council of State

The 10th Chamber of the Council of State has overturned for the second time a directive issued by the General Directorate of Security in 2021 prohibiting audio and video recording during police interventions in public spaces, in a case brought by journalist and human rights defender Evin Barış Altıntaş.

This decision, which follows previous rulings overturning similar regulations in cases brought by the Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS) and the Diyarbakır Bar Association, once again confirms the complete invalidity of the regulation.

The Council of State noted that the regulation contained provisions prohibiting the recording of sound and video during police interventions, thereby restricting freedom of expression and the right to information. The decision emphasized, with reference to Article 13 of the Constitution, that “fundamental rights and freedoms can only be restricted by law.” In this context, it was ruled that the executive branch's restriction of press freedom through a circular was unlawful.

The General Directorate of Security had issued a circular in 2021 prohibiting the recording of police officers' voices and images while on duty, defending this on the grounds of the protection of personal data. However, the regulation was deemed a direct interference with freedom of expression and the press and was met with widespread criticism.

Swedish journalist Joakim Medin handed jail term

The first hearing in the trial of imprisoned Swedish journalist Joakim Medin on the charge of “insulting the president” was held at the Ankara 79th Criminal Court of First Instance on 30 April 2025.

Medin and his lawyers, Veysel Ok and Batıkan Erkoç, were present in the courtroom. The hearing was observed by Jonas Sjöstedt from the European Parliament, Ulrika Westerlund from the Swedish Parliament, Martin Roux on behalf of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Malena Mard, Sweden's Ambassador to Ankara.

Medin stated that he had not received the indictment. Lawyer Erkoç said, “We translated the indictment and gave it to him, but it was not delivered by the prison administration.” Lawyer Ok also noted that the interpreter often provided Medin with incomplete translations.

In his defense, Medin said, “The indictment begins with a protest I did not participate in and includes content I did not share. On 11 January 2023, a small group of activists protested in front of the city hall by hanging a model of Erdoğan upside down. I was working in Germany at the time, I had no knowledge of the protest, and I did not share anything on social media. This incident was covered by Turkish media, and the Turkish government was not pleased with the situation.”

The prosecutor announced their final opinion on the case and requested a sentence for the impugned crime.

The court sentenced Medin to 11 months and 7 days in prison and ordered his release. The sentence was suspended.

Compensation case against Ceren Sözeri and Evrensel daily adjourned

The 12th hearing in the compensation case filed upon a complaint by Serhat Albayrak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Turkuvaz Media Group, against Ceren Sözeri, a writer for the Evrensel newspaper, over her article titled “AKP’ye Kim Oy Kaybettirdi?” (Who Lost Votes for the AKP?) published in 2019, was held at the İstanbul 2nd Civil Court of First Instance on 30 April 2025.

Sözeri's lawyer, Devrim Avcı, was present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24. The lawyer for the plaintiff, Serhat Albayrak, did not attend the hearing, citing a valid reason.

Lawyer Avcı said that they had no requests.

The court decided to await the finalization of the case in which Sözeri and the Evrensel newspaper are being tried at the İstanbul 8th Civil Court of First Instance.

The tiral was adjourned until 24 December 2025.

JinNews reporter Melek Avcı acquitted

The second hearing in the trial of JinNews reporter Melek Avcı, who was charged with “terrorism propaganda” over news-related social media posts, was held at the Ankara 19th High Criminal Court on 29 April 2025.

The prosecutor requested that Avcı be acquitted. Lawyer Şevin Kaya stated, “We concur with the prosecution's opinion.”

The court ruled to acquit Avcı.

Trial of Barış Pehlivan and Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu adjourned

The 11th hearing in the trial of Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist Barış Pehlivan and former Editor-in-Chief Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu, who are charged with “insulting the President” and “insulting a public official” was held at the İstanbul 15th Criminal Court of First Instance on 29 April 2025.

Pehlivan and Yurtoğlu's lawyer was present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

The prosecutor, reiterating their previous final opinion on the case, requested that the defendants be convicted of the impugned crimes.

The court adjourned the trial until 8 May 2025 due to the absence of the lawyer representing the plaintiff Süleyman Soylu.

In the case against the journalists, who are being tried over Pehlivan's article titled “Sabıka Holding” (Criminal Record Holding) published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper in 2021, President Erdoğan, Süleyman Soylu, Egemen Bağış, and Binali Yıldırım are among the 10 people listed as victims.

Defense documents for Ahmet Nesin expected in the “Özgür Gündem solidarity” case

The 13th hearing in the retrial of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu, rights defender and former Turkish Medical Association Central Council President Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı and journalist-writer Ahmet Nesin, whose acquittals in the Özgür Gündem solidarity case were overturned by the appellate court, was held at the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 29 April 2025.

Önderoğlu and his lawyer were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

Önderoğlu and his lawyer stated that they had no requests. The court decided to wait for the return of the letters rogatory sent abroad to obtain Ahmet Nesin's defense.

The trial was adjourned until 9 September 2025.

At least 30 journalists and media workers in prison

As of 2 May 2025, there are at least 30 journalists and media workers in pre-trial detention or imprisonment in Turkey.

The full list can be accessed here.