Father of reporter targeted by pro-government newspaper removed from public service; court rules defendants remain in detention in Hakan Tosun murder case; four journalists acquitted; musician Mabel Matiz acquitted of “obscenity”

Father of reporter targeted by pro-government newspaper removed from public service

Following the pro-government Yeni Akit newspaper’s targeting of BirGün reporter Sarya Toprak and her family, her father, Hasan Toprak, who was a public servant with 30 years of service in Bursa, has been removed from his post.

Yeni Akit columnist Zekeriya Say began targeting the journalist starting on 18 April, following Sarya Toprak’s report on Uğurcan Açıkgöz, a suspect detained in connection with the Gülistan Doku murder case.

Following Say’s posts, a story published in Yeni Akit that criminalized Sarya Toprak’s journalistic activities and made her family the subject of the report. In violation of the Personal Data Protection Law, the family’s personal information was shared, and details regarding Hasan Toprak’s employer, his civil service history, his membership in the Confederation of Public Employees' Unions, and his union activities were also included in the Yeni Akit report.

Following these publications, Hasan Toprak was notified on 29 April that he had been suspended from his position.

Reporter asking questions about a pro-government journalist’s security detail obstructed

The sighting of pro-government journalist Ferhat Murat in the corridor used by prosecutors and judges during the 4 May hearing of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) case has sparked controversy.

Murat, however, addressed the allegations against him in a statement to journalists as he left the courtroom. Murat said, “I did not enter the judge’s chambers. I wrote what I saw. I met with Bakırköy Chief Prosecutor Barış Duman. After the meeting with the chief prosecutor, I entered the courtroom to attend the ‘Casper’ case. I first entered the courtroom as a member of the public. I did not wag my finger at the defendants. Upon entering, the court adjourned the hearing.”

Meanwhile, it also emerged that a police escort had been assigned to Murat. The police escort prevented members of the press from asking Murat questions.

Investigation launched against journalist Ahmet Güneş

An investigation has been launched against Ahmet Güneş, the Editor-in-Chief of the Yeni Yaşam newspaper, on the grounds that he shared news regarding Northern and Eastern Syria on his social media account.

As part of the investigation, Güneş went to the Istanbul Provincial Police Department on 4 May with his lawyer to give a statement.

In a statement on his X account, Güneş said he was questioned about the news he shared regarding the attacks by the Ahmed al-Shara government in Syria against the Kurds.

Musician Mabel Matiz acquitted

The fourth hearing in the case against musician Mabel Matiz on charges of “obscenity” over her song called “Perperişan” was held at the 54th Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance on 8 May 2026.

Matiz was not present at the hearing, but his lawyers and an attorney from the Ministry of Family and Social Services were in the courtroom. P24 monitored the hearing.

In their previous written final opinion on the case, the prosecutor had requested that Matiz be punished for the impugned crime. Efsun Türker, one of Matiz’s attorneys, made a statement in response to the written opinion. Türker stated, “It is unacceptable for those who are not bothered by songs sung in villages across Anatolia to be bothered by my client’s song.”

Sezen Yılmaz, another of Matiz’s lawyers, also stated in her response to the opinion, “He demonstrated the lack of authority of the Committee for the Protection of Minors from Harmful Publications in her written submission. Relying on the Board’s opinion as a basis for the legal opinion constitutes an abuse of authority. This situation constitutes the crime of abuse of office.”

Later, Matiz’s other lawyer, Dilek Gürsan, took the floor. Noting that emotions in Anatolia are expressed indirectly and through metaphors, she asked, “Which child’s morals have been corrupted?”

The lawyer for the Ministry of Family and Social Services also requested that Matiz be punished in accordance with the legal opinion.

The court ruled to acquit Mabel Matiz on the grounds that the legal elements of the “obscenity” charge had not been established.

Four journalists acquitted

The second hearing in the case filed against journalists Mahsum Sağlam, Pelin Laçin, Yadigar Aygün, Zeynep Kuray, and student Yağmur Filiz on charges of “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” was held at the Istanbul 39th Criminal Court of First Instance on 8 May 2026.

While the prosecutor requested acquittal for all defendants, he sought punishment for Yağmur Filiz on charges of “insulting a public official.”

The court ruled to acquit all defendants of the charge of violating Law No. 2911. The court also sentenced Yağmur Filiz to a fine of TL 35,400 for the charge of “insult,” with the right to appeal.

The defendants were on trial for participating in a protest organized in connection with the murders of their colleagues Cihan Bilgin and Nazım Daştan.

Bilal Erdoğan’s compensation case against Furkan Karabay postponed until December

The fifth hearing in the TL 250,000 compensation case filed by Bilal Erdoğan, the son of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, against journalist Furkan Karabay was held at the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance on 7 May 2026. P24 monitored the hearing.

Karabay’s lawyer, Özge Naz Akkaya, requested that the court await the outcome of the criminal case against Karabay currently pending before the Istanbul 47th Criminal Court of First Instance.

The court granted the request and postponed the case until 17 December 2026.

Trial of Swedish journalist Medin postponed until October

The third hearing in the case against Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, who faces the charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” over his journalistic activities, was held at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 7 May 2026.

Medin’s lawyer was present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

Medin’s lawyer, Hazal Sümeli, stated that she had not yet been able to review the report regarding the digital materials and requested that a copy of the report be provided to her.

The prosecutor requested that the court wait for a response to the letter rogatory sent to Sweden to obtain Medin’s statement.

The court decided to await the return of the extradition documents regarding Medin and to provide a copy of the digital report to the defendant’s counsel. The trial was postponed until 1 October 2026.

Hakan Tosun murder case begins

The first hearing in the trial of Abdurrahman Murat and Adnan Şahin on charges of “willful murder” in connection with the beating and killing of journalist and video activist Hakan Tosun in Istanbul’s district of Esenyurt on 10 October 2025 was held at the Bakırköy 17th Criminal Court on 6 May 2026.

The hearing, which P24 monitored, began under the shadow of a police intervention involving shields, as the court held the session in a 30-person capacity courtroom.

After the defendants and witnesses had given their statements, the prosecutor requested that the court order the Tosun family to join the case and that the defendants remain in custody.

The court ruled to include the HTS records between the defendants in the case file and ordered that the defendants remain in custody.

The trial was postponed until 8 July 2026.

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Leman case postponed until October

The second hearing in the case filed against satirical LeMan magazine Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Tuncay Akgün, Managing Editor Zafer Aknar, Managing Editor Aslan Özdemir, graphic designer Cebrail Okçu, office manager Ali Yavuz, and illustrator Doğan Pehlevan on charges of “publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility through the press and publications” over a cartoon published in the magazine was held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 5 May 2026.

Defendants Aslan Özdemir, Doğan Pehlevan, and Ali Yavuz, along with their lawyers, were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

The plaintiff, stating that he had filed a complaint through the Ministry of Justice on 1 July, requested that the defendants be sentenced to the maximum penalty.

The prosecutor requested that the arrest warrant for Akgün, who is currently abroad, be upheld and that the case file be sent to him so they could prepare their final opinion on the case.

Akgün’s lawyer, Fikret İlkiz, filed a request for a deposition to hear his client’s defense.

The court, which ruled to accept the request for a hearing regarding Akgün, also lifted Pehlevan’s travel ban. The court ruled that the other defendants be excused from the future hearings but rejected the complainant’s request.

The trial was postponed until 13 October 2026.

Sedef Kabaş’s trial adjourned until October

The 10th hearing in the case against journalist Sedef Kabaş, filed on charges of “insulting the president” over social media posts, was held at the Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 5 May 2026.

Kabaş was not present at the hearing, but her lawyer, Selen Sınmaz, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s lawyer, Mehmet İnal, were in attendance.

When asked for their final opinion on the case, the prosecutor requested that the missing elements in the case file be addressed.

The court decided to request that the case be consolidated with another case at the Istanbul 36th Criminal Court of First Instance, in the event that the alleged offense attributed to Kabaş is proven.

The trial was adjourned until 8 October 2026.

Hatice Şahin's trial postponed until November

The fourth hearing in the trial of journalist Hatice Şahin, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization,” was held at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court on 5 May 2026.

Following Şahin's defense, the court postponed the case until 19 November 2026.

At least 26 journalists and media workers behind bars in Turkey

As of 8 May 2026, there are at least 26 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either awaiting trial or serving finalized sentences.

The full list can be accessed here.