Two journalists jailed; police violence against journalists in Adıyaman; judicial control measure lifted in trial of 5 journalists; Murat Aksoy acquitted in retrial

Enver Aysever imprisoned over comments targeting “right-wingers”

Journalist Enver Aysever was detained on 11 December over comments he made on his YouTube channel targeting right-wing governments and individuals.

Aysever, who was detained late at night and questioned at the Küçükçekmece Courthouse, was referred to the Criminal Court of Peace on the same day on the charge of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” with a request for imprisonment. Aysever was imprisoned pending trial by the court.

Aysever's lawyer said that his client was exercising his freedom of expression, that the broadcast had been edited on social media to create a “perception,” and that the detention had been initiated in this manner.

In his YouTube broadcast, Aysever criticized the words of CHP’s imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's father Hasan İmamoğlu, who said, “I fought for years to prevent communism from coming to our country.” Aysever said, "Right-wing politics is immoral. When you are right-wing, you become immoral, or your morality becomes immoral. So come join the fight against right-wingers."

Habertürk Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy arrested amid allegations of drug coercion and abuse

Mehmet Akif Ersoy, editor-in-chief and news anchor of the prominent news channel Habertürk, was placed in pre-trial detention late on 10 December 2025 as part of an investigation into allegations of “coercive drug use” and “forming a criminal organization to commit offenses.” The channel’s international news editor Elif Kılınç was also taken into custody during the same investigation but was released under judicial control measures pending trial.

The development sent shockwaves through the Turkish media not only because of Ersoy’s high visibility, but also because it came just three months after prosecutors seized the media assets of Can Holding, the parent company of Habertürk. That investigation placed Habertürk, along with Show TV and Bloomberg HT, under state control as part of a wider investigation into alleged financial crimes.

Ersoy, a former war correspondent who also served as a media officer at the Directorate of Religious Affairs, quickly rose through the ranks after joining Habertürk in 2017 and was ultimately appointed editor-in-chief in 2024. According to reports, he is believed to have close ties with senior public and government officials.

Prosecutors accuse Ersoy of coercing women, including several journalists at Habertürk, into using drugs and attending parties involving group sexual acts. Since the investigation began, multiple allegations of abuse and sexual misconduct from women working at the channel have surfaced on social media and in anonymously sourced reports, with claims that Ersoy offered professional rewards to women who accepted his advances. One former anchor, Nur Köşker, publicly stated that she resigned because of Ersoy’s abusive behavior.

Ersoy has denied all allegations, describing the investigation as politically motivated. He argued that the case relies solely on unsubstantiated and contradictory statements from secret witnesses, calling the probe a “character assassination.” He added: “Most of us know where the law stands in Turkey. I believe they had already decided to arrest me.”

Habertürk announced in a statement published only hours after Ersoy was detained, shortly after he presented a news program on 9 December, that he had been removed from his duties.

YouTuber Arif Kocabıyık jailed

Arif Kocabıyık, who conducts street interviews on the YouTube channel İlave TV, was imprisoned pending trial on 7 December 2025.

According to a statement from the governor's office, Kocabıyık, who had an arrest warrant issued against him by the Antalya 2nd Criminal Court of Peace for “insulting the president,” was taken into custody in Çanakkale on 5 December.

Kocabıyık was sent to pre-trial detention by the court on duty to whom he was referred.

Police violence against journalists in Adıyaman

Reporters covering the story of a police officer who committed suicide in Adıyaman were subjected to verbal and physical abuse by a group of police officers.

A police officer assigned to the Provincial Security Directorate ended his life in an apartment in the Altınşehir neighborhood. Upon receiving the report, numerous police and medical teams were dispatched to the scene. Following an investigation, the body was taken to the Adıyaman Education and Research Hospital Morgue.

State-run Anadolu Agency reporters O.P. and A.G. were met with insults and physical intervention by police officers while filming around the building.

While the journalists were being beaten at the time of the incident, reporters who tried to show their press cards were also forcibly removed from the scene.

Compensation lawsuit filed against Can Bursalı

A compensation lawsuit seeking TL 2 million has been filed aganst journalist Can Bursalı following a complaint by former Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Authority (SEDDK) President Mehmet Akif Eroğlu over a news story Bursalı had published.

Announcing the development on his X account, Bursalı wrote that Eroğlu was under investigation for alleged bribery and had requested to be “relieved of his duties.” In his post, Bursalı stated, “He filed a lawsuit because I reported on this issue. He said, ‘There is no investigation against me,’ and is demanding TL 2 million.”

Trial of Ender İmrek on "terrorism" charge adjourned

The second hearing in the trial of six people, including journalist Ender İmrek who was held under house arrest for 100 days as part of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) investigation, and lawyer Yıldız İmrek on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court on 10 December 2025.

The hearing, monitored by P24, began 45 minutes late. Ender İmrek, Yıldız İmrek, the other defendants, and their lawyers were present at the hearing.

The prosecutor requested that the missing issues be addressed and that the judicial control measures be continued.

After her identity was verified, Yıldız İmrek presented her defense, stating, "After 36 years in my profession, I cannot express how I feel to be here facing such an indictment. The acts and evidence alleged in the indictment do not fit within the fundamental principles of criminal law. I am a human rights defender, and as a lawyer with a responsibility to humanity and future generations, I have not remained indifferent to exploitation. The allegation of membership in a terrorist organization directed at me is completely untrue."

After the other defendants presented their defenses, the lawyers made their statements. Yıldız İmrek's lawyer, Bahri Bayram Belen, said, “The search conducted at my colleague's home and everything obtained there is unlawful. We believe the conditions for an immediate acquittal have been met; it is up to the court to decide.”

Ender İmrek's lawyer, Engin Deniz Ergin, also said, “The so-called evidence is from 14 years ago. No action has been taken for all this time, and these have been kept hidden. My client's legal political activities and journalism activities are being combined to accuse him of a crime.” Lawyer Ergin concluded his defense by requesting his client's acquittal.

The court rejected requests to lift the ban on leaving the country and decided to send the file to the prosecutor for the preparation of the opinion on the case. The trial was postponed until 15 April 2026.

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Trial of Barış Terkoğlu for “insulting a public official” adjourned until May 2026

The ninth hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu, who is charged with “insulting a public official” upon a complaint filed by former Istanbul Regional Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Hadi Salihoğlu, was held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 11 December 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The trial was adjourned until 14 May 2026.

Trial of Barış Terkoğlu in “defamation” case adjourned until January 2026

The sixth hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu, who is charged with “defamation” over three opinion pieces he wrote about a case filed against Ekrem İmamoğlu, the former mayor of Istanbul who was replaced by a trustee, was heldat the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 11 December 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The court adjourned the trial until 20 January 2026.

Trial of Barış Terkoğlu in “defamation” case adjourned until January 2026

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu, who is charged with “defamation” upon a complaint filed by prosecutor İbrahim Cansever, was held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 11 December 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The court adjourned the trial until 14 May 2026.

Terkoğlu is being prosecuted over his article titled “Kartalkaya dosyasından gelen koku” (The smell coming from the Kartalkaya file,) published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper on 10 February 2025.

Furkan Karabay's compensation case postponed until May 2026

The fourth hearing in the TL 250,000 moral damages lawsuit filed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan against journalist Furkan Karabay over social media posts was held at the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance on 11 December 2025.

The court ruled that Karabay's case, in which he is charged with “insult” and “slander” at the Istanbul 47th Criminal Court of First Instance, should be postponed pending the outcome of that case.

The case was adjourned until 7 May 2026.

Sonya Bayık's trial adjourned until March 2026

The 17th hearing in the trial of 31 people, including journalist Sonya Bayık, on the charge of “violating Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” over their press statement in Turkey’s southeastern Batman district, was held at the Batman 9th Criminal Court of First Instance on 9 December 2025.

Sonya Bayık's lawyer, Müslüm Dalar, submitted a letter of excuse for the hearing.

The case was postponed until 3 March 2026.

Murat Aksoy acquitted in retrial

An Istanbul court has acquitted journalist Murat Aksoy of “aiding a terrorist organization” in retrial following the Constitutional Court's (AYM) ruling on rights violations.

The second hearing in the retrial of journalist Murat Aksoy on the charge of “aiding a terrorist organization” was held at the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court on 9 December 2025.

Aksoy and his lawyer Ali Deniz Ceylan were present at the hearing.

The prosecutor, who presented their final opinion on the case at the previous hearing, demanded punishment for Aksoy for the impugned crime, and requested that the previous ruling against Aksoy be upheld.

After his identity was verified, Murat Aksoy presented his defense against the opinion, saying: "This case is actually closed for me. I served more than the sentence I received, and my rights were restored. I wrote and spoke because I want to live in a fair, free, and more democratic country. I demand my acquittal.”

Following Aksoy, his lawyer Ali Deniz Ceylan stated, “All the evidence in the file consists of my client's writings and tweets. He was tried under Articles 309 and 312 on the same charges and acquitted. My client exercised his right to freedom of expression and the press. There has been no change in the evidence in this case since 2016. This trial must now come to an end."

The court acquitted Aksoy, with the right to appeal.

Danish journalist Mads Anneberg's trial postponed until December

The 14th 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 9 December 2025.

No one attended the hearing.

The court decided to await the execution of the arrest warrant issued for Anneberg. The trial was postponed until 3 March 2026.

Trial begins for journalists prosecuted over news report royalties

The first hearing in the trial of journalists Erdoğan Alayumat, Tuğçe Yılmaz, Suzan Demir, Gülcan Dereli, Kemal Taylan Abatan, translator Serap Güneş, and sociologist Berfin Atlı, who are charged with “aiding an illegal organization” was held at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 9 December 2025. The defendants are being tried over the royalties they received for their news reports and translations, as well as their social media posts.

The defendants and their lawyers were present in the courtroom.

After the defenses, the prosecutor, who spoke next, left the decision on lifting the judicial controls to the court.

The court decided to lift the judicial control with signature requirement imposed on the defendants; to inquire about the fate of the digital materials taken from the defendants; to refrain from hearing witnesses, considering the current evidence and defenses; and to send the file to the prosecutor's office for the preparation of the final opinion on the case. The court also ruled that the defendants would be excused from the hearings since their defenses had been heard.

The case was postponed until 17 February 2026.

Taraf case adjourned until May 2026

The seventh hearing in the retrial of former executives of the closed Taraf newspaper Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Çongar, Yıldıray Oğur, and reporter Mehmet Baransu on charges of “using documents related to state security for purposes other than their intended purpose, obtaining them by fraud” and “disclosing and obtaining documents related to state security that should remain confidential” was held at the Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of Firs Instance on 5 May 2025.

Ahmet Altan and defense lawyers were present in the courtroom.

After hearing Altan’s statements, the court adjourned the trial until 11 May 2026.

At least 29 journalists and media workers behind bars in Turkey

Following the imprisonment of Mehmet Akif Ersoy and Enver Aysever, there are at least 29 journalists and media workers were in prison in Turkey as of 12 December 2025, either awaiting trial or serving finalized sentences.

The full list can be accessed here.