Court suspends execution of Halk TV's 10-day broadcasting ban; investigation launched into X's AI tool Grok; ECtHR rules Selahattin Demirtaş’s rights violated; Furkan Karabay fined

10-day broadcast ban of SZC TV enters into force, execution of Halk TV's ban suspended

The 10-day broadcast ban imposed by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) against SZC TV on the charge of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” took effect as of 8 July.

The Council had imposed a 10-day suspension on SZC TV on 27 March for broadcasting live coverage of protests that erupted following the imprisonment of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The penalty, which was set to take effect on 1 June, was appealed to court, which unanimously ruled to suspend its enforcement.

This decision was overturned by the Ankara 7th Administrative Court. Following the overturning of the decision, RTÜK announced that SZC TV's broadcasts would be suspended for 10 days starting 8 July.If the channel receives another penalty under the same provision within a year, its license will be revoked.Meanwhile, another opposition channel, Halk TV, which was also given a 10-day suspension by RTÜK, was notified of the decision. However, upon Halk TV's appeal, the order to be executed on 8 July was suspended by the Ankara 21st Administrative Court. RTÜK was given seven days to appeal the decision to suspend the execution.

The Council had imposed a 10-day suspension broadcasting ban on Halk TV over statements made during a news program that criticized government's "sectarian" policies.

Like SZC TV, Halk TV's license will also be revoked if the current broadcasting ban goes into effect and that channel receives another penalty under the same provision within a year.

ECtHR rules Selahattin Demirtaş’s rights violated

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled that the imprisonment of Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the HDP (now DEM Party) who has been in prison for nearly eight and half years, constitutes a violation of his rights.

In its decision dated 8 July 2025, the ECtHR ruled that Demirtaş’s re-imprisonment in 2019 was based on political rather than legal grounds.

The court found that Demirtaş's detention aimed to silence public opinion and prevent democratic debate, and stated that Turkey had violated Articles 5/1, 5/3, 5/4, and 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

According to the ruling, Turkey violated Demirtaş's right to “liberty and security of person;” no sufficient grounds were provided for the continuation of his detention; the right to an “effective remedy” was denied; and the principle of “non-arbitrariness” was violated.

The court ruled that “the main purpose of the renewed imprisonment was to suppress freedom of expression and political activity; it was based on political rather than legal grounds.”

The ruling also ordered Turkey to pay Demirtaş a total of 55,745 euros in compensation, including court costs.

Investigation launched into X's AI tool Grok, access to posts blocked

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into X's artificial intelligence tool Grok on charges of “publicly insulting religious values embraced by a segment of the public,” “insulting the president,” and “violating Law No. 5816 on Crimes Against Atatürk.”

The investigation was launched after Grok used insulting statements about many people, including AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

In its statement, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office emphasized that the investigation was not directed at Grok, but at certain posts shared on the platform. The prosecutor's office also remarked that the access restriction decision was taken only in relation to this content.

Timur Soykan arrested over social media posts

Journalist Timur Soykan has been released after being arrested over social media posts.

Soykan was detained on 5 July on the charge of “spreading false information” over his posts targeting the operation launched against three mayors from the Republican People's Party (CHP).

On 6 July, Soykan was referred to the prosecutor's office at the İstanbul Courthouse, where he was then referred to the court with a request for pre-trial detention on charges of "spreading false information" and "inciting the people to commit crime."

Soykan was released with an international travel ban and an obligation to report to the police station at regular intervals.

LeMan employee Aslan Özdemir detained

Aslan Özdemir, an employee of LeMan magazine, was detained at the airport on 11 July upon his return to Turkey from abroad.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation into LeMan magazine on its own initiative on the charge of “denigrating religious values” over a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Within this scope, the magazine's editor-in-chief Zafer Aknar, graphic designer Cebrail Okçu, the owner of the cartoon Doğan Pehlevan, and the director of the institution Ali Yavuz were imprisoned pending trial.

Investigation launched against MA reporter Ceylan Şahinli

An investigation has been launched against Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Ceylan Şahinli on the suspicion of “violating the Law on Demonstrations and Meetings” for speaking about journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were killed on the Suruç-Kobane border. Şahinli gave a statement at the Şanlıurfa Security Branch Directorate on 8 July as part of an investigation launched by the Suruç Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Ceylan Şahinli was asked about the protests in support of North and East Syria on the Kobane-Suruç border. Journalist Şahinli said she had come to the area to follow the news.

Şahinli left the branch office after giving her statement.

Arrest warrant issued for journalist Şener Levent

An arrest warrant has been issued by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for journalist Şener Levent, who was sentenced to prison in absentia in trials held in Turkey.

According to a report by the Avrupa newspaper, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office sent a summons to Levent through the parliamentary judiciary. The summons stated that Levent's one-year prison sentence had been finalized on the grounds that he had not filed an appeal, and that he must surrender himself to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office within 10 days.

At the end of the three cases filed in Ankara, Levent was sentenced to six months in prison in one case and one year in prison in each of the other two cases.

Furkan Karabay ordered to pay fine for “insulting the president”

The fifth hearing in the trial of journalist Furkan Karabay, who is charged with “insulting the president” over his social media posts, was held at the İstanbul 74th Criminal Court of First Instance on 11 July 2025.

Lawyers for both parties attended the hearing.

Karabay's lawyers demanded acquittal of their client, claiming that elements of the impugned crime did not form.

Co-plaintiff President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's lawyer requested sentencing for "defamation" as well as the impugned crime 

The court sentenced Karabay to a fine of TL 10,500.

Hayko Bağdat's “propaganda” case adjourned until December

The 17th hearing in the trial of journalist Hayko Bağdat, who is being tried on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” over his social media posts, was held at the İstanbul 28th High Criminal Court on 10 July 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 25 December 2025.

The trial of journalist Geşbun Ayşe Kara adjourned until December

The fifth hearing in the retrial of journalist Geşbun Ayşe Kara on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 10 July 2025.

Kara, who is abroad, did not attend the hearing, but her lawyer, Resul Tamur, was present in the courtroom.

The trial adjourned until 25 December 2025.

Prosecutor demands prison term for 7 journalists on trial

The third hearing in the trial journalists Can Papila, Gülistan Dursun, Serpil Ünal, Hayri Tunç, Enes Sezgin, Osman Akın, Pınar Gayıp, and two other defendants, who are charged with “terrorism propaganda” and “violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations,” was held at the İstanbul 24th High Criminal Court on 10 July 2025.

The defendants did not attend the hearing, but their lawyers were present. P24 monitored the hearing.

Two police officers who testified as witnesses said that they intervened against journalists gathered in front of the Şişli Municipality building due to a ban by the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office and that they made an announcement to “disperse” before the intervention.

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case, requested that all defendants be punished separately for both charges.

The defendants' lawyers requested time to respond to the prosecutor’s opinion.

The court accepted the request and adjourned the trial until 2 October 2025.

The trial of İsmail Arı for “insult” and “defamation” adjourned until January 2026

The third hearing in the trial of journalist İsmail Arı, who is charged with “insult” and “defamation” upon a complaint by MHP Mersin Deputy and Nişantaşı Education Foundation founder Levent Uysal, was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 10 July 2025.

Arı did not attend the hearing, but his lawyers were present. P24 monitored the hearing.

Uysal's lawyer stated that their complaints were still ongoing and demanded that Arı be punished.

Arı's lawyer, Tolgay Güvercin, said, "The document requested to be submitted to the court is at the Beyoğlu 29th Notary Office. This document was certified by the notary on 5 January 2023. We request that the document be obtained from the notary. It was stated in the indictment that Vakıf Bank had filed a criminal complaint regarding the incident in question. I request that this matter be inquired from the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office."

The court decided that if the number of the document requested to be summoned is reported during the recess, the necessary proceedings will be carried out, and a letter will be sent to the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requesting information on whether any investigation has been conducted regarding the criminal complaint filed by Vakıf Bank.

The case was adjourned until 13 January 2026.

Danish journalist Mads Anneberg's trial adjourned until December

The 13th hearing in the trial of Danish journalist Mads Anneberg, who was detained on 3 March 2020 while covering refugee movements on the Greek border and charged with “entering military restricted areas,” was held at the Edirne 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 10 July 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The court decided to wait for the arrest warrant issued against Anneberg to be executed. The trial was adjourned until 9 December 2025.

Baransel Ağca's trial adjourned

The ninth hearing in the trial of journalist Baransel Ağca, who is charged with “illegally obtaining or disseminating personal data” for publishing the autopsy report of journalism student Yeldana Kahraman, was held at the Elazığ 8th Criminal Court of First Instance on 10 July 2025.

The trial was adjourned until a later date.

Çağdaş Erdoğan's trial on “terrorism” charges adjourned until November

The 19th hearing in the trial of photojournalist Çağdaş Erdoğan, who is accused of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda,” was held at the Bursa 1st High Criminal Court on 9 July 2025.

Neither Erdoğan nor his lawyer Veysel Ok attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 12 November 2025.

Nevşin Mengü ordered to pay compensation

The final hearing in the TL 100,000 moral damages case against journalist Nevşin Mengü, based on a complaint by AKP Kayseri MP Hulusi Akar alleging “violation of personal rights,” was held at the Ankara 41st Civil Court of First Instance on 9 July 2025.

The lawyers for both parties attended the hearing.

Akar's lawyer stated that his client, who had no official authority or responsibility in the matter, was targeted in connection with the events that led to the expulsion of lieutenants following the events that took place at the Military Academy graduation ceremony on 30 August 2024, Victory Day, and that the defendant had made statements that were insulting, untrue, defamatory, and damaging to his personal rights, requesting that the case be accepted.

Mengü's lawyer stated that she had acted in accordance with her profession and that there was no insult or defamation, requesting that the case be dismissed.

After hearing the statements, the court announced its decision, partially accepting the case and ordering Nevşin Mengü to pay Akar TL 30,000 in moral damages.

Compensation case against Furkan Karabay adjourned until September

The seventh hearing in the TL 100,000 moral damages lawsuit filed against journalist Furkan Karabay by Mustafa Doğan İnal, former lawyer of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the grounds of “unjustified attack on personal rights” was held at the İstanbul 33rd Civil Court of First Instance on 8 July 2025.

Karabay's lawyer, Özge Naz Akkaya, and Mustafa Doğan İnal's lawyer were present at the hearing.

At the hearing, İnal's lawyer requested that the case be accepted, while lawyer Akkaya requested time for oral proceedings.

The court accepted Karabay's lawyer's request and adjourned the case until 9 September 2025.

Singer Ferhat Tunç's case adjourned until December

The trial of singer Ferhat Tunç, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 8 July 2025.

The court decided to wait for the arrest warrant issued for Tunç to be executed. The trial was adjourned until 25 December 2025.

Journalist Mehmet Üçar released pending trial

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Mehmet Üçar on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Batman 2nd High Criminal Court on 8 July 2025.

Üçar participated in the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system from the prison where he is being held. Üçar's lawyer, Şirin Şen, was present in the courtroom. P24 monitored the hearing.

After the court heard defense statements and witness testimony, the prosecutor took floor and demanded that Uçar be kept in pre-trial detention.

The court ruled to release Üçar with a ban on leaving the country, and adjourned the trial until 20 November 2025.

Click here to read the details of the article.

Barış Pehlivan's both trials adjourned until January 2026

The third hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Pehlivan, who is charged with “insulting a public official” upon the complaint of Boğaziçi University Rector Mehmet Naci İnci, was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 8 July 2025.

Pehlivan did not attend the hearing, but his lawyer, Özge Naz Akkaya, was present.

The court decided to write a memorandum to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) requesting that the YÖK Disciplinary Board's decision dated 2 March 2023, and the documents attached to this decision be sent to the court.

The trial was adjourned until 6 January 2026.

Pehlivan is being tried for his article titled “Are you the one who revealed confidential information?” published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper on 29 December 2023.

The other case against Pehlivan was opened on the grounds of his article titled “I am revealing the murderers” published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper on 22 September 2023. Held on the same day, the third hearing in this case, which was filed on charges of “defamation” and “insulting via audio, written, or visual communication” upon a complaint by Supreme Court member and former Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor Yüksel Kocaman, was also adjourned until 6 January 2026.

Baransel Ağca's trial for “insulting religious values” adjourned

The trial of journalist Baransel Ağca, who was charged with “publicly insulting religious values embraced by a segment of the public” over social media posts, continued at the İstanbul 43rd Criminal Court of First Instance on 8 July 2025.

The trial was adjourned until a later date.

Furkan Karabay's compensation case adjourned until December

The third hearing in themoral damages lawsuit woth TL 250,000 filed by Bilal Erdoğan, son of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, against journalist Furkan Karabay over a social media post about a petition sent by former Istanbul Anatolia Chief Public Prosecutor İsmail Uçar to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) was held at the İstanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance on 8 July 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The case was adjourned until 11 December 2025.

Journalist Sadık Topaloğlu's trial postponed

The third hearing in the trial of journalist Sadık Topaloğlu, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization,” was held at the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court on 8 July 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The court ruled that the international travel ban on Topaloğlu remains in effect.

The trial was adjourned until 4 November 2025.

Ayşe Barım remains in pre-trial detention

The first hearing in the trial of imprisoned talent agent Ayşe Barım, who is charged with “aiding an attempt to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey” was held at the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 7 July 2025.

In addition to Barım and her lawyers, many famous actors whom Barım manages also attended the hearing.

In her defense, Barım said that the indictment contained elements related to actors who were not working with her at the time and that she did not know most of these people.

Barım noted that her health conditions were severe and said, “I have never been a political person, neither during my student years nor afterwards. I did not think it was right to publish or sign collective texts and statements on behalf of myself or my friends. I believe that everyone should express their own opinions.”

The court decided to extend Barım's detention and adjourned the trial until 1 October 2025.

Ayşe Barım was taken into custody on 24 January 24 and imprisoned pending trial on 27 January, after which she was sent to Marmara Prison, formerly known as Silivri Prison.

New case opened against ETHA reporter Pınar Gayıp

The second hearing in the trial of Etkin News Agency (ETHA) reporter Pınar Gayıp on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at the İstanbul 23rd High Criminal Court on 7 July 2025.

Gayıp and her lawyer Özlem Gümüştaş attended the hearing.

Gayıp and Gümüştaş made their statements via the judicial videoconferencing system.

A new case filed against Gayıp over her news reports and social media posts has been merged with the ongoing case by the court.

The trial was adjourned until 8 October 2025.

At least 33 journalists and media workers in prison

Following the release of journalist Mehmet Üçar, as of 11 July 2025, there are at least 33 journalists and media workers in pre-trial detention or imprisonment in Turkey.

The full list can be accessed here.