TELE 1 executives briefly detained; 4 of the 5 people jailed in LeMan investigation released pending trial; Ali Çolak acquitted, Mehmet Kamış's case separated; trustees from pro-government media outlets appointed to recently seized TV stations

TELE 1 executives briefly detained

 

TELE 1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ, program moderator Musa Özuğurlu, and Program Director İhsan Demir were detained as part of an investigation launched on suspicion of “insulting the president” on 23 September.

 

The investigation into the channel's executives was launched after a KJ (key message) reading “What is the difference between RTE (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) and Netanyahu?” appeared on screen during the “Türkiye’nin Yönü” (Direction of Turkey) program broadcast on TELE 1.

 

Yanardağ, Özuğurlu, and Demir were questioned by three separate prosecutors. Following their questioning, the three were referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for judicial control in the form of an international travel ban and a requirement to report to the police station to sign in at regular intervals.

 

The Criminal Court of Peace decided to release Yanardağ, Özuğurlu, and Demir under judicial control measures in the form of a “travel ban” and “signing in.”

 

4 of the 5 people jailed as part of the LeMan investigation released pending trial

 

An İstanbul court decided to release three LeMan employees jailed as part of the investigation, which was launched by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the satirical magazine, on 26 September 2025.

 

Zafer Aknar, the magazine's respnsible managing editor, Aslan Özdemir, managing editor,  graphic designer Cebrail Okçu, and Facility Manager Ali Yavuz were released under judicial control measure by a criminal judgeship of peace on duty.

 

Meanwhile, cartoonist Doğan Pehlevan remains in detention.

 

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.

The magazine, however, had denied the cartoon was a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad and denounced claims to that effect as "malicious."

In a statement posted on X, LeMan apologized to “well-intentioned readers who may have felt hurt” but added that the cartoon was intended to highlight the suffering of oppressed Muslims, specifically referencing victims of Israeli attacks. “The cartoonist wanted to portray the righteousness of oppressed Muslims by depicting a Muslim killed by Israel, and he never intended to insult religious values,” the magazine said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan denounced LeMan on 1 July, calling the cartoon a “disrespect” that is “absolutely unacceptable.” “What has been done under the guise of satire is clearly an incitement, a vile provocation,” he said. “Those who act arrogantly will be held accountable before the law. We will not allow anyone to insult our sacred values.”



As part of the investigation, the magazine's editor-in-chief Zafer Aknar, graphic designer Cebrail Okçu, and the director of the institution Ali Yavuz were imprisoned pending trial for "inciting the people to hatred and hostility," the owner of the cartoon Doğan Pehlevan was imprisoned pending trial for "inciting the people to hatred and hostility" and "insulting the president" on 2 July 2025.The owner of the cartoon, Doğan Pehlevan, was jailed on 2 July 2025, on charges of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” and “insulting the president,” while the magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Aslan Özdemir was also jailed on 12 July 2025, on suspicion of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility.”

Trustees from pro-government media outlets appointed to recently seized TV stations

İbraim Paşalı from pro-government Yeni Şafak daily and Hakan Hastaoglu from pro-government Sabah daily have been appointed as trustees for HaberTürk and Show TV, which had belonged to Can Holding before being seized by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF).

New managers were officially appointed to the companies of Can Media, which were seized as part of a money laundering investigation.

All of the group's media-related organizations, such as Habertürk TV, HT Spor, and Show TV, will be managed by İbrahim Paşalı, who was once a writer for the Yeni Şafak newspaper, and Hakan Hastaoğlu, whose articles were published in the Sabah newspaper. Paşalı had previously been appointed as a trustee for Flash TV and Ekotürk.

According to an announcement published in the Trade Registry Gazette on 24 September 2025, the following individuals were appointed to the management: İbrahim Paşalı, Hakan Hastaoğlu, Şeref Safa, Yusuf Öksüzömer, Serdar Karakuş, and Ayşegül Aydoğan Uruş.

According to the Registry Gazette, the new management's term will end on 12 October 2028.

In a sweeping operation launched on 11 September, prosecutors had ordered the seizure of prominent media organizations owned by Can Holding, including flagship channels Habertürk TV, Show TV, and Bloomberg HT, as part of a broader probe into alleged financial crimes.
 
The media seizures encompassed not only the television networks but also associated digital platforms and production companies under Can Holding’s umbrella, effectively placing a substantial portion of Turkey’s mainstream broadcasting under state trusteeship.
 
Habertürk, known for its news coverage and political talk shows, and Show TV, a popular entertainment and news broadcaster reaching millions of viewers, were among the first to be impacted, with gendarmerie teams conducting searches at their offices in downtown İstanbul early Thursday morning. Bloomberg HT, which was established in 2010 in partnership with Bloomberg News, faced similar measures. Can Holding had acquired the companies from Ciner Group late last year.
 
The crackdown resulted in Can Holding’s 121 affiliated companies -- including these outlets -- placed under judicial administration of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF). The companies placed under trusteeship include major education institutions such as İstanbul’s Bilgi University and private school franchise Doğa Koleji as well.

 

Journalist Heval Arslan detained in Belgium

 

Heval Arslan, presenter at Medya Haber TV, was detained at a police station in Ninove, Belgium, on 25 September 2025. Arslan, who was detained without a court order, had her belongings confiscated and was strip-searched before being sent to a cell.

 

Arslan, who decided to live in Belgium to continue his journalistic activities, had applied for asylum in recent months.

 

There is also a risk that Heval Arslan will be extradited to Turkey, where she faces numerous lawsuits and arrest warrants.

 

Death threats against Şehriban Aslan

 

JinNews reporter Şehriban Aslan was threatened with death because of a story she wrote about “child abduction.”

 

Aslan and her lawyer, Resul Temur, filed a criminal complaint against the perpetrator who allegedly abducted the child.

 

Journalist Merdan Yanardağ acquitted in retrial

The third hearing in the retrial of TELE 1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ, charged with “publicly insulting the Government of the Republic of Turkey” over his column titled “Düzenin mafyalaşması” (The Mafia-ization of the System) was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 25 September 2025.

Yanardağ's lawyer, Bilgütay Hakkı Durna, was present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24. Yanardağ did not attend the hearing.

The prosecutor at the hearing reiterated their previous opinion on the case and requested that Yanardağ be punished for the impugned crime.

Yanardağ's lawyer, Bilgütay Hakkı Durna, also repeated his previous defenses and requested his client's acquittal.

The court decided to acquit Yanardağ because the legal elements of the alleged crime did not form.

Trial of Swedish journalist Joakim Medin on “terrorism” charges gets underway

Trial of Joakim Medin, foreign correspondent for the Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC, on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” gets underway at the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 25 September 2025.

Medin's lawyers were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24. The hearing was observed by a large number of people, including Swedish Consul General Karin Hernmarck, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, and Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS) President Gökhan Durmuş.

Medin's lawyer, Veysel Ok, requested that the court wait for a response to the letter rogatory sent to the Swedish judicial authorities so that his client, who lives in Sweden, could be defended. Ok also requested the return of Medin's confiscated digital materials.

The court decided to wait for the response to the letter rogatory written about Medin and to summon the digital materials reported in the file from the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to the file.

The trial was adjourned until 8 January 2026.

 

SADAT's compensation case against Evrensel dismissed

 

The lawsuit filed by the International Defense Consultancy Company, known in the public as SADAT, seeking damages for an article published in Genç Hayat, a supplement to the Evrensel newspaper, has been dismissed.

 

The second hearing in the compensation case, which was filed on the charge of “violation of personal rights,” was held at the Bakırköy 4th Civil Commercial Court on 23 September 2025.

 

The court ruled to dismiss the case due to the statute of limitations.

 

The lawsuit was filed upon a complaint by Adnan Tanrıverdi, the founder of SADAT.

 

The trial of human rights defender Nurcan Kaya on “terrorism” charges adjourned until December

 

The first hearing in the trial of human rights defender Nurcan Kaya, who is on trial on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “violating the law on the prevention of the financing of terrorism,” was held at the İstanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 23 September 2025.

 

Lawyer Veysel Ok and Hazal Sümeli were present at the hearing, while Nurcan Kaya participated via the judicial videoconferencing system from the Diyarbakır Courthouse.

 

After her identity was verified, Kaya began her defense, stating, "I do not accept the charges. I am a lawyer, and I have also worked as a researcher and columnist, and I continue to do so. I have also worked as a legal coordinator for various civil society organizations in Turkey. My professional life and education are based on human rights law, activism, and writing.”

 

Lawyer Veysel Ok said, “The state cannot set traps for its citizens. The state cannot give permission to an association and then accuse those who donate to that association, saying, ‘You donated to this association.’ My client was not asked any questions about this association, but it is included in the indictment. At this stage, we request that both judicial controls be lifted," he said.

 

The prosecutor requested that the judicial control measures continue and that the file be sent to the prosecutor’s office for the preparation of the final opinion on the case.

 

The court decided to lift the judicial control measure requiring Nurcan Kaya to sign in, to maintain the ban on leaving the country, and to send the file to the prosecutor’s office for the preparation of the final opinion.

 

The trial was adjourned until 18 December 2025.

 

Mehmet Şahin's ban on leaving the country remains in place

 

The fourth hearing in the retrial of journalist Mehmet Şahin, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” on the grounds of his participation in meetings and press statements, his interviews with news sources, and the TV programs he prepared, was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 23 September 2025.

 

Şahin and his lawyer Resul Temur were present at the hearing.

 

The prosecutor requested time to review the case file. Lawyer Temur requested that his client's travel ban be lifted.

 

The court decided to maintain the travel ban and adjourned the case until 13 November 2025.

 

Ali Çolak acquitted, Mehmet Kamış's case separated

 

The 27th hearing in the trial of imprisoned journalists Mehmet Kamış and Ali Çolak on charges of “attempting to overthrow parliament;” “attempting to overthrow government;” “attempting to overthrow constitutional order” and “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 23 September 2025.

Mehmet Kamış, who was imprisoned pending trial in July in connection with another case, was present in the courtroom accompanied by gendarmerie officers. Kamış requested a postponement of the case, stating, “I have no intention of fleeing. Whatever sentence you give me, I will never flee. I want to be tried without detention. I request my release.”

 

In their final opinion on the case presented prior to the hearing, the prosecutor had requested acquittal of both Kamış and Çolak of “attempting to overthrow parliament,” “attempting to overthrow government” and “attempting to overthrow constitutional order.” The prosecutor also requested that Çolak be acquitted of the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” but that Kamış be punished for this charge.

At the hearing, the prosecutor stated that they were repeating their final opinion on the case with regard to Ali Çolak and requested that the file against Kamış be separated. The prosecutor also requested that Kamış remain in detention.

 

The court acquitted Çolak of all charges separately. Regarding Mehmet Kamış, the court decided that he should remain in custody and that his file should be separated and registered under a new case.

 

Now-defunct Zaman daily’s Deputy Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Kamış and its editor for arts and culture desk Ali Çolak were among the defendants in the trial publicly known as “Altan case.” The case file of Kamış, Çolak and eight other defendants against whom detention warrants were issued had been separated on 19 September 2017. Journalist Kamış against whom a detention warrant had been issued was detained in İzmir on 22 November 2023. Kamış was sent to İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 23 November 2023 and subsequently imprisoned pending trial over “suspicion that he could flee.” Journalist Çolak against whom a detention warrant had been issued surrendered himself on 9 July 2024 and he was sent to pre-trial detention on the same day. Both journalists were released pending trial on 25 July 2024. However, Kamış was jailed again on 11 July 2025.

The trial of BirGün executives adjourned until October

 

The second hearing in the trial of BirGün Board Chairman İbrahim Aydın, birgun.net Publication Coordinator Uğur Koç, and former birgun.net Editor-in-Chief Yaşar Gökdemir on charges of “discloasing the name of those involved in the fight against terrorism as targets” and “insulting a public official” was held at the İstanbul 23rd High Criminal Court on 22 September 2025.

 

The journalists are on trial over a news story that mentioned the name of İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek.

 

Aydın, Koç, Gökdemir, and their lawyer Sevgi Kalan Güvercin attended the hearing.

 

During the hearing, the prosecutor requested that Akın Gürlek and his lawyer's request to join the case as co-plaintiff be accepted.

 

Presenting their final opinion on the case, the prosecutor requested that the journalists be punished for the impugned crimes.

 

The court accepted the request of Gürlek and his lawyer to join the case, and decided to maintain the travel ban on Koç and Gökdemir.

 

The trial was adjourned until 22 October 2025.

At least 29 journalists and media workers behind bars in Turkey

Following the release of four LeMan employees, as of 26 September 2025, there are at least 29 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a finalized sentence.

The full list can be accessed here.