İsmail Arı’s press card revoked; case filed against Barış Terkoğlu; international travel ban imposed on Timur Soykan lifted

İsmail Arı’s press card revoked

The press card of İsmail Arı, a reporter for the BirGün newspaper—who was detained for 75 days at Sincan Prison over his journalistic activities and released following his first court hearing on 5 June—has been revoked.

Although officials from the Communications Directorate informed Arı verbally that “Your press card has been revoked due to your criminal record,” Arı has no court case in which he has been convicted nor any criminal record.

Arı stated that he had been given new information regarding the revocation of his card. In the latest information provided to Arı by officials at the Communications Directorate’s Ankara Regional Directorate, he was told: “Your press card was revoked on 21 March. You can obtain a press card once you provide a certificate of good conduct from this trial.” Arı was taken into custody on the night of 21 March 2026 and was imprisoned pending trial on the night of 22 March.

Case filed against Barış Terkoğlu

A case has been brought against journalist Barış Terkoğlu on charges of “insulting a public official” following a complaint by former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.

The first hearing will take place in Ankara on 28 September 2026.

Soylu had lodged a complaint against Terkoğlu, who had drawn attention on social media to the testimony of a witness that led to the arrest of Habertürk presenter Mehmet Akif Ersoy.

Halk TV journalist investigated after interviewing miners on strike

An investigation has been launched against Halk TV reporter Umut Taştan on 13 June 2026 after he entered a mine to interview workers who had barricaded themselves underground and begun a hunger strike during an ongoing labor protest at Özşen Madencilik company.

Taştan had spent two days covering the workers’ campaign for unpaid wages and other labor demands. As part of his reporting, he descended into the mine to speak directly with miners.

The investigation against Taştan drew criticism from trade unions and press freedom organizations, who said that Taştan was being targeted for carrying out his journalistic duties.

The miners, employed by Özşen Madencilik in Edirne, had been protesting for weeks over unpaid wages, overtime pay, and severance compensation. On 12 June, a group of workers escalated the protest by locking themselves inside the mine and launching a hunger strike.

Trial of imprisoned ETHA staff member Müslüm Koyun adjourned until July

The first hearing in the trial of Etkin Haber Ajansı (ETHA) staff member Müslüm Koyun and Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) Central Executive Committee member Okan Danacı, who were arrested during the 3 February operation targeting the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the 22nd Istanbul High Criminal Court on 18 June 2026.

The defendants were present in the courtroom.

Koyun began his defense by greeting the representatives of organizations and members of the press observing the hearing. Koyun stated that there was nothing in the indictment worth taking seriously, saying, “The document presented as an indictment is a political manifesto. The prosecution has simply turned the draft reports reflecting the views of the fascist regime into an indictment.”

The court ruled that the defendants should remain in prison and adjourned the case until 16 July 2026.

Abdullah Kaya’s trial adjourned until April

The 13th hearing in the trial of journalist Abdullah Kaya, who is facing charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and "terrorism propaganda" was held at the Ağrı 2nd High Criminal Court on 18 June 2026.

No one attended the hearing.

The court adjourned the case until 6 October 2026.

Journalist Abdullah Kaya was arrested on the grounds that he had reported on the Mount Ağrı Nature Festival held in 2014; he was subsequently released and his trial continued whilst he remained at liberty. It had been reported that the festival was held with the permission of the then Governor of Ağrı, Musa Işın, and the Minister of the Interior, Efkan Ala, and that approximately 50,000 people from neighbouring provinces and districts had attended.

Journalist-writer Ercan Aktaş’s case for "insulting the Turkish nation" adjourned until December

The 24th hearing in the case against journalist and writer Ercan Aktaş, who is on trial on charges of “insulting the Turkish nation” over his social media posts, was held at the Küçükçekmece 23rd Criminal Court of First Instance on 18 June 2026.

No one attended the hearing.

The court ruled that the execution of the arrest warrant against Aktaş should be awaited and adjourned the case until 15 December 2026.

The retrial of İdris Yılmaz adjourned until July

The seventh hearing in the retrial of journalist İdris Yılmaz, following the Court of Cassation's quashing of his original conviction on charges of “insult,” was held at the Erciş 1st Criminal Court of First Instance on 17 June 2026.

No one attended the hearing.

The case was adjourned until 8 July 2026.

The case of Danish journalist Mads Anneberg adjourned until December

The 16th hearing in the case of Danish journalist Mads Anneberg, who was detained on 3 March 2020 whilst covering refugee movements at the Greek border and is standing trial on charges of “entering military restricted areas,” was held at the Edirne 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 17 June 2026.

No one attended the hearing.

The court decided to await the execution of the arrest warrant issued against Anneberg, and adjourned the case until 17 November 2026.

Journalist Yusuf Çelik’s trial adjourned until October

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Yusuf Çelik on charges of “aiding a terrorist organization” was held at the Tunceli 1st High Criminal Court on 17 June 2026.

Çelik participated in the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system.

The trial was adjourned until 21 October 2026.

Abdurrahman Gök’s trial on “terrorism” charges adjourned until September

The 11th hearing in the case against journalist Abdurrahman Gök on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” over his news reports and social media posts, was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 16 June 2026.

Gök and his lawyer were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

Gök’s lawyer, Resul Temur, requested that the deficiencies in the case file be rectified.

The court adjourned the case until 22 September 2026.

Click here to read the details of the article.

International travel ban imposed on Timur Soykan lifted

The second hearing in the case against journalist Timur Soykan on charges of “spreading false information” and “incitement to commit a crime” was held at the Istanbul 32nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 16 June 2026.

Whilst Soykan did not attend the hearing, his lawyer, Özge Naz Akkaya, was present in the courtroom.

Akkaya argued that the judicial supervision measure applied as international travel ban should be lifted, given that her client’s statement had been taken, the evidence had been gathered, and the measure had been in place for approximately one year.

Akkaya also requested additional time to prepare a defense against the prosecutor’s submission regarding the main charges, in which the prosecutor had sought a sentence for the offence of “spreading false information.”

The court ruled to lift the judicial control measure imposed on Soykan, and adjourned the case until 10 July 2026

Trial of Öznur Değer and Osman Akın adjourned until October

The third hearing in the case against JinNews News Director Öznur Değer and Osman Akın, former Editor-in-Chief of the Yeni Yaşam newspaper, who are charged with “disclosing the names of individuals who have served in the fight against terrorism” was held at the Mardin 2nd High Criminal Court on 16 June 2026.

Whilst no journalists attended the hearing, their lawyers, Erdal Kuzu and Berivan Orhan, Co-Chair of the Mardin Branch of the Lawyers’ Association for Freedom (ÖHD), were present in the courtroom.

Lawyer Kuzu stated that his clients were carrying out their duty to inform the public as part of their journalistic activities, and argued that the incident covered in the report was in the public interest and did not constitute a criminal offence.

The court decided to gather the missing evidence in the case file and adjourned the trial until 6 October 2026.

The journalists are on trial over a news report published on 16 July 2024 concerning allegations of torture during a raid on a house in the Turkey’s southeastern Nusaybin district of Mardin.

Compensation case against five journalists dismissed

A 1 million-TL damages claim brought by the chemical company “TSM Brands” against journalists Murat Ağırel, Barış Pehlivan, Timur Soykan, Barış Terkoğlu and Şule Aydın has been dismissed.

The case had been brought in response to comments made during the program titled “What will the next move be?”, broadcast by Onlar TV on 15 September.

During the program, the journalists discussed the legal proceedings and debates surrounding the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress. On air, Barış Terkoğlu stated that Onur Yusuf Üregen, a lawyer involved in cases relating to the CHP congress, was also a member of the disciplinary committee of the Domestic and National Party. Terkoğlu, noting that Üregen had referred to the CHP as an “organized crime syndicate”, had made comments regarding Teoman Mutlu, the General Chairman of the Domestic and National Party, based on these connections.

During the broadcast, Terkoğlu had claimed that Mutlu had been “convicted for fictitious exports.” Citing a news report broadcast on Halk TV as his source, Terkoğlu later explained that he had investigated companies he claimed were linked to Mutlu.

TSM Brands filed a lawsuit against the journalists over the statements they made regarding TSM Brands whilst commenting on the businessman and politician Teoman Mutlu. The first hearing was held on 16 June 2026.

The court accepted the objection to jurisdiction raised by the defendant’s counsel, Özge Naz Akkaya, and ruled to dismiss the case on procedural grounds. The court ordered that, should it be requested, the case file be forwarded to the Anadolu Duty Civil Court of First Instance.

At least 21 journalists and media workers behind bars in Turkey

As of 19 June 2026, there are at least 21 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either awaiting trial or serving finalized sentences.

The full list can be accessed here.