Appellate court overturns prison sentence against Orhan Bursalı, acquits him; Karar daily’s reporter Çalıkoğlu acquitted;  “No need to prosecute” decision for the armed attack on the Evrensel newspaper 

Appellate court overturns prison sentence against Orhan Bursalı, acquits him 

The prison sentence handed on journalist Orhan Bursalı on charges of “illegally obtaining or disseminating personal data” has been overturned on appeal. The 26th Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice unanimously ruled to acquit Bursalı on 16 February 2026. 

A case was filed against Bursalı on the grounds of “illegally obtaining or disseminating personal data” for publishing a residence permit belonging to an individual on social media. 

The Anadolu 28th Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced Bursalı to 1 year and 8 months in prison at the end of the third hearing held on 7 February 2025, and decided to postpone the sentence. Bursalı's lawyer, Enes Ermaner, appealed the decision. 

The 26th Criminal Chamber, which reviewed the case file, emphasized that for the impugned crime to be established, there must be awareness of illegality and criminal intent. The ruling stated that Bursalı, a journalist, shared a residence permit belonging to a foreign national on his social media account as a warning regarding election security. The post included statements that the document in question was not an identity document and could not be used to vote. The court therefore ruled that the act in question was not defined as a crime in the law, and decided to acquit the journalist. 

Prison sentences handed on journalists who took photos in the Kobani trial 

The Ankara West 14th Criminal Court of First Instance handed down convictions against journalists Damla Kırmızıtaş, Derya Okatan Albayrak, Fatih Polat, Fırat Can Arslan, Handan Ceren Bayar, Hüseyin Hayatsever, and Kaan Can Bircan for “recording audio and video” while observing the final hearing of the Kobani case. 

In the hearing, which was conducted under the simple trial procedure, the court stated that law enforcement officers had determined that the journalists had taken pictures with their cell phones and tablets during the final hearing of the Kobani case at the Sincan Penitentiary on 16 May 2024. The court sentenced the journalists to 1 month in prison at the lower limit; the sentence was reduced to 18 days in prison with discretionary reduction and simple trial reduction. 

The court decided to postpone the sentence for Kırmızıtaş, while converting the short prison sentences for some defendants to a judicial fine of TL 900. For journalist Fatih Polat, the court ruled that the enforcement regime specific to repeat offenders should be applied due to his previous conviction. 

Journalist allegedly tortured in prison 

Journalist Emre Orman stated on his social media account that imprisoned journalist Pınar Gayıp had been subjected to torture in prison. 

Orman stated that security guards raided the cells and tortured detainees and convicts for 40 minutes on 20 February, and that Gayıp was among them. 

On 6 February, in an operation targeting the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) in 22 cities centered on Istanbul, 81 people were imprisoned pending trial on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda.” Among those jailed were journalists Elif Bayburt, Müslüm Koyun, Nadiye Gürbüz, and Pınar Gayıp, who work for the Etkin News Agency (ETHA). 

Municipal co-mayor assaults and threatens journalist 

Mümin Erol, co-mayor of Tatvan from the DEM Party, assaulted journalist Mücahit Tarlan, announced journalist Sinan Aygül on his X account. 

According to Aygül, Erol called Tarlan, who had posted on social media about the municipality's failure to clear snow, and threatened the journalist. 

Aygül wrote that Erol said he wanted to make peace with the journalist that same morning and invited Tarlan to the municipality through intermediaries, where he again hurled insults and threats at the journalist, who is 64 percent disabled and has a heart condition. 

Aygül wrote the following about the continuation of the incident: “When Tarlan responded, Erol, along with his uncle's son Abdullah Erol, who worked as his driver and bodyguard, attacked and beat the disabled journalist. Erol then threatened the injured journalist again so that he would not get a medical report and file a complaint.” 

Aygül noted that he reported this to the party, but the party's local administration commission “managed to cover up the matter.” 

Journalist Ertaş detained over claims of secret witness 

Journalist Mehmet Ali Ertaş was detained during an ID check in the Artuklu district of Mardin on 22 February. 

Ertaş, who was detained as part of an investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, was transferred to the Mardin Courthouse on 23 February. Ertaş gave his statement to the prosecutor's office via the the judicial videoconferencing system (SEGBİS) in accordance with the instructions of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Ertaş, who attended the prosecutor's interrogation with his lawyer Erdal Kuzu, was questioned about the allegations made by the confidential witness “K8Ç4B3L1T5.” 

Ertaş stated that he did not accept the allegations, stating that he was a journalist and that the allegations against him were unfounded. After his statement, the prosecutor's office released Ertaş. 

The case against Ertaş was launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on 25 October 2022, in Ankara, citing the statements of the “secret” witness “K8Ç4B3L1T5,” whose statements were included in the case against 11 journalists. 

The journalists involved in the case were Diren Yurtsever, Berivan Altan, Ceylan Şahinli, Deniz Nazlım, Emrullah Acar, Hakan Yalçın, Selman Gözelyuz, Zemo Ağgöz, Habibe Eren, and Öznur Değer, along with Mehmet Günhan, who had worked as an intern at the Mezopotamya Agency's Ankara office for a period of time. Nine of the journalists were sent to pre-trial detention, while two were released. Following the preparation of the indictment, the journalists were released on 16 June 2023. At the final hearing held at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court, Diren Yurtsever, Berivan Altan, Selman Güzelyüz, Hakan Yalçın, Emrullah Acar, Zemo Ağgöz, Deniz Nazlım, and Öznur Değer were each sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization.”  

“No need to prosecute” decision for the armed attack on the Evrensel newspaper 

The criminal complaint filed to identify the instigators behind the armed attack on the Izmir office of the Evrensel newspaper on 13 August 2025, has been rejected. While the triggerman, İ.C.B., was released 106 days later after he was imprisoned pending trial, the Izmir Public Prosecutor's Office decided that there was no basis for opening a public prosecution against the instigators of the triggerman and the person who brought him in his vehicle, on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence and indications. 

Evrensel newspaper's Izmir office was the target of an armed attack late at night on 13 August 2025. The police removed seven bullets from the newspaper's sign. The shooter was placed in pre-trial detention, and was released at the end of the second hearing held at the Izmir 42nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 1 December 2025. At the hearing, the newspaper's lawyers had requested that the prosecutor's office remedy the deficiencies in the case file and conduct a detailed investigation to identify other individuals who may have been behind the attack. 

International travel ban lifted for journalists accused in case against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality 

The international travel ban on journalists Yavuz Oğhan, Şaban Sevinç, and Ruşen Çakır, who were detained on charges of “spreading false information” and “aiding a criminal organization” in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) case, has been lifted. 

While the requirement for Habibe İlknur Kaya and Sarp Yalçınkaya to sign in was lifted, their international travel bans were kept in place. 

Soner Yalçın's international travel ban was lifted last month. 

Journalists Soner Yalçın, Şaban Sevinç, Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Ruşen Çakır, and Yavuz Oğhan were detained on 6 November as part of an investigation into allegations of “corruption” against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. 

The journalists gave statements at the Istanbul Police Headquarters on charges of “spreading false information” and “aiding a criminal organization,” and were then released with a ban on leaving the country. 

Access blocked to MA's Kurdish X account 

Social media platform X imposed a block on access to the Kurdish account belonging to the Mezopotamya Agency upon a notice from the Information and Communication Technologies Authority. 

The Mezopotamya Agency's X accounts were also blocked last month. 

Züleyha Müldür's trial postponed until May 

The third hearing in the trial of Etkin News Agency(ETHA) reporter Züleyha Müldür and two other individuals on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court on 26 February 2026. 

Müldür did not attend the hearing, but her lawyer was present in the courtroom. 

The secret witness G.T., who connected to the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system, claimed that ETHA was the name of Atılım newspaper on social media. 

G.T. claimed to know the defendant Ezgi Gürbüz from Atılım newspaper's distribution activities, and said that they did not remember Züleyha Müldür. 

Müldür's lawyer, Sidar Pelçin, did not present a defense. 

The court decided to continue the ban on Müldür leaving the country and adjourned the case until 14 May 2026. 

Karar daily’s reporter Çalıkoğlu acquitted 

The third hearing in the trial of journalist Feyza Nur Çalıkoğlu, who is on trial for “spreading false information” over her report on allegations of ill-treatment at the Çatalca Repatriation Center, was held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 26 February 2026. 

Çalıkoğlu was present at the hearing. 

Witness Abdülhalim Yılmaz stated that he was a lawyer, that the statements in the report belonged to him, and that he had checked them before they were published. 

Çalıkoğlu stated that she did not accept the prosecutor's opinion on the case and requested her acquittal. 

The court decided to acquit Çalıkoğlu on the grounds that the elements of the crime were not present. 

Prosecutor demands punishment in trial of 35 defendants, including journalist İpek 

The third hearing in the trial of 35 people, including Cumhuriyet newspaper reporter Engin Deniz İpek, on charges of “participating in illegal meetings and marches without weapons and refusing to disperse despite warnings” after a rally held in Istanbul’s Saraçhane neighborhood, was held at the Istanbul 64th Criminal Court of First Instance on 25 February 2026. Due to the inadequacy of the courtroom, the hearing was moved to the 1st High Criminal Court. 

Numerous defendants and lawyers were present at the hearing, in addition to İpek. There were also uniformed and plainclothes police officers in the courtroom. 

Lawyers said that the expected expert report was added to the case file on 24 February and that the photos matched to the defendants in the report were incorrect, and the ones claimed to be of their clients belonged to the wrong people. 

After the defenses were completed, the prosecutor, announcing their final opinion on the case, argued that the crimes attributed to the defendants were proven and requested that the defendants be punished separately for the impugned crime. 

The court adjourned the case until 4 March 2026. The judge stated that the next hearing would be the final hearing. 

Trial of journalist Yıldız Tar and writer Halit Elçi postponed until June 

The second hearing in the trial of journalist Yıldız Tar and writer Halit Elçi on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Ankara 17th High Criminal Court on 23 February 2026. 

Tar, Elçi, and their lawyer Veysel Ok were present at the hearing. The hearing was attended by the Istanbul Bar Association Human Rights Center, Amnesty International, ÜniKuir, GALADER, LİSTAG, 17 May Association, Red Umbrella Association, Kapsama Alanı, CEİD, MLSA, SPoD, Young LGBT+ Association, LambdaIstanbul, Human Rights Association (İHD) LGBT+ Commission, İHD General Headquarters, Revolutionary Socialist Workers' Party (DSİP), Socialist Reconstruction Party (SYKP), LGBT+ Initiative for Peace, Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Education and Science Workers' Union (EğitimSen) Branch No. 1, Ankara Bar Association LGBT+ Rights Center, Ankara Bar Association Women's Rights Center, Women's Solidarity Foundation, Women's Human Rights Association, Pembe Hayat, Colors of Resistance, İzmir Bar Association, Ankara Women's Platform, European Union (EU) Delegation, Human Rights School, Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS), Contemporary Journalists' Association (ÇGD), AramızdaAssociation, STGM, Free Lawyers' Association (ÖHD), I Need Peace Women's Initiative, KuirGaming, Ankara Pride, GoFor, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), Human Rights Joint Platform (İHOP), Demos, Animal Life Freedom, Anti-Capitalist Students, Green Left Party, BURHAK, German Embassy, French Embassy, Dutch Embassy, Swedish Embassy, and Norwegian Embassy. 

Armed police officers were stationed in and in front of the courtroom. The judge rejected the lawyers' request to have the police officers removed from the courtroom. 

The court asked the defendants and their lawyers if they would make additional statements in their defense. The defendants and their lawyers stated that they would not make additional statements. Tar and Elçi requestedthat the international travel ban on them be lifted. Lawyer Ok said, “Yıldız is a well-known journalist and civil society activist. His profession requires him to travel abroad. We request that the judicial controls be completely lifted.” 

The prosecutor requested that the international travel ban remain in place. 

The court ruled that the international travel ban on the defendants should continue and postponed the case until 24 June 2026.

At least 27 journalists and media workers behind bars in Turkey

According to the latest information Expression Interrupted, as of 27 February 2026, there are at least 27 journalists and media workers were in prison in Turkey, either awaiting trial or serving finalized sentences.

The full list can be accessed here.