Engelliweb, Kısa Dalga, T24 news site and many journalists’ social media accounts blocked; two journalists jailed; Deniz Göktaş released; Züleyha Müldür given jail term

Access to T24 news site and its social media accounts blockedAccess to T24’s website and social media accounts has been blocked on the grounds that they were spreading “LGBT propaganda.”  

The decision was taken by the Istanbul 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace upon a request from the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of the “My Family is Safe” investigation. The court’s decision was based on Article 8/A of Law No. 5651.

The article in question lists the circumstances under which access may be blocked as: the protection of the right to life and the safety of people and property; the protection of national security and public order; the prevention of crime; or the protection of public health. 

Ali Tarakçı jailed over social media post

Journalist Ali Tarakçı was sent to pre-trial detention on 26 September on charges of “spreading false information”over a social media post.

Tarakçı was detained after having posted the message “A very important minister will resign on Friday” on his X account last week. The police searched his house and seized digital materials. Furthermore, access to Tarakçı’s X account has been blocked.

Tarakçı was sent to pre-trial detention by the Ankara 8th Criminal Judgeship of Peace.

News Coordinator of Nefes newspaper jailed

Fatih Ergin, News Coordinator of Nefes newspaper, was jailed on 28 September over a social media post he made regarding the reopened investigation into the death in 2011 of Kaşif Kozinoğlu, a former member of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), at Silivri Prison.

On the evening of 27 September, Ergin was taken into custody from his home on suspicion of “spreading false information” on order of the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. After procedures were completed at the police station, he was transferred to the courthouse.

Following his statement at the prosecutor’s office, Ergin was referred to the criminal judgeship of peace with a request for his detention, and the court decided to send him to pre-trial detention.

The post that formed the basis of the investigation concerned the discovery of the body of Dr Turgay Tamer – who had previously been detained in connection with the Kozinoğlu investigation and released under judicial supervision – at his home in Büyükçekmece, Istanbul. In his initial post announcing Tamer’s death, Ergin had described him as a “former forensic medicine worker” rather than a “doctor.” Ergin subsequently corrected this statement. The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, however, initiated an investigation on the grounds that describing a person practicing as a doctor as a “forensic medicine worker” constituted the offense of “spreading false information.”

Öznur Değer to stand trial for “terrorism propaganda” 

A new case has been brought against Öznur Değer, News Editor of JinNews, on charges of “terrorism propaganda.”

The indictment, drawn up as part of an investigation launched by the Van Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, was accepted by the Van 4th High Criminal Court. 

In the indictment in question, retweets and quotes from news stories posted on Değer’s now-suspended X account formed the basis of the charges.

Access blocked to the Kısa Dalga news site and journalists’ accounts

Access to the Kısa Dalga news website’s X and Instagram accounts has been blocked.

The X account for the EngelliWeb (@engelliweb) project—run by the Freedom of Expression Association, which monitors and documents access-blocking decisions—has also been blocked.

Meanwhile, access to the accounts of journalists Esra Tokat, Dinçer Gökçe Zübeyde Sarı, Ersin Eroğlu, Furkan Karabay, Tuğçe Yılmaz and Hikmet Adal have also been blocked.

Court rules to keep all defendants in jail in “espionage” case

The third hearing in the trial of the imprisoned journalist Merdan Yanardağ – who is being tried alongside the suspended and detained Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, his campaign director Necati Özkan and businessman Hüseyin Gün on charges of “political espionage” was held at the 25th Istanbul High Criminal Court on 29 September 2026. The hearing took place in the courtrooms at the Marmara Prison Complex.

All the defendants, including Yanardağ, and their lawyers were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was the first to speak at the hearing, requested to present his defense as he had another hearing to attend. Upon the request being granted, İmamoğlu began his defense by commenting on current issues:

“Today, we are all witnessing how citizens’ savings are being protected. Those who are supposed to oversee and those being overseen have squeezed into the same seat. There you have your espionage story. Can prosecutor’s office write this down? Do you have the strength to write it down? Do you have the courage? I know. Do not bother replying. No, you cannot have the courage.”

Journalist Merdan Yanardağ, who presented his defense against the witness statements and the prosecution’s submission, filed a criminal complaint against the trustee appointed to TELE1, alleging that they “took over the channel to halt its broadcasts and failed to carry out their duties.” He also explained that the trustee had failed to care for “Güneş,” the dog they had adopted, and that Güneş had been sent to a shelter. Yanardağ said the following:

“TELE1 was seized. TELE1 was a media organization employing 144 people, holding a RTÜK licence in Turkey, operating in accordance with the law, conducting its activities under the Commercial Code, and operating in accordance with the Press Law. Today they shut it down. They cut off the satellite broadcast. They cut off the cable broadcast. They cut off the Digiturk broadcast. The trustee you appointed has destroyed a media organization. You are committing a crime.

After all the defense statements had been completed, the court recessed the hearing for one hour and then ruled that the defendants should remain in detention. The trial was adjourned until 23 December 2026.

Click here to read the details of the article.

Ali Çağatay acquitted of both charges

The second hearing in the case filed against journalist Ali Çağatay on charges of “spreading false information” and “insulting the institutions and organs of the state” was held at the Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of First Instance on 1 October 2026.

Çağatay and his lawyer, Turgut Kazan, were present in the courtroom.

Çağatay stated that whilst there might be journalists who provide false information, this could not be attributed to the entire profession. “Generalizations are very dangerous. If you make generalizations, you could end up locking up all journalists,” said Çağatay, explaining that he had been a journalist for 35 years and had been involved in the establishment of numerous media outlets.

Lawyer Kazan also argued that it had not been established that the news report was false and that the elements of the offense had not been met, and requested an acquittal.

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case, contended that Çağatay’s post had exceeded the bounds of freedom of expression and the right to report the news, and sought a conviction on both charges.

The court acquitted Çağatay of both charges.

Çağatay had been in pre-trial detention for approximately three months in connection with this case before being released at the first hearing. 

Trial of Swedish journalist Medin postponed until January 2027

The fourth 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 1 October 2026.

Medin’s lawyer was present at the hearing.

The trial was postponed until 5 January 2027.

Journalist Züleyha Müldür given prison term

The sixth hearing in the trial of Etkin Haber Ajansı (ETHA) reporter Züleyha Müldür, who is on trial on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the 14th Istanbul High Criminal Court on 29 September 2026.

Züleyha Müldür and her lawyers attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24. At the start of the hearing, the presiding judge asked the prosecutor whether there had been any changes to their final opinion on the case. The prosecutor reiterated their final opinion in which he sought a sentence in line with the indictment.

In her defense, Müldür spoke as follows: “I do not agree with the prosecutor’s opinion. The charges in question are my constitutional rights. They are also rights stemming from my work as a journalist and from being a socialist and a feminist. I am being sought to be punished for these reasons. I do not agree with this and I demand my acquittal.”

In his statement, Müldür’s lawyer, Lokman Emen, recalled that the trial in question had begun with an intelligence report. Emen stated that the case had reached this stage because Müldür’s actions, which stemmed from her democratic rights, had been treated as if they were criminal offenses, and he noted that the case file had been inflated with such allegations. Lawyer Emen noted that if a judgement against his client were to be handed down, it would be found to be unlawful by the Constitutional Court, and he requested an acquittal for his client.

The court, in delivering its verdict, sentenced Müldür to 6 years and 3 months in prison on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization.”

Click here to read the details of the article.

Imprisoned comedian Deniz Göktaş handed jail term and released

The first hearing in the trial of imprisoned comedian Deniz Göktaş on charges of “publicly inciting the public to hatred and hostility,” “insulting the president” and “praising an offense or an offender” over his stand-up show was held at at the 14th Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance on 28 September 2026.

Due to the high turnout, the Istanbul 14th Criminal Court of First Instance held the hearing in the courtroom of the Istanbul 4th High Criminal Court. Strict security measures were in place around the courthouse and in the corridor leading to the courtroom prior to the hearing. Riot police armed with shields were stationed in the courthouse corridor. As the courtroom proved insufficient, the proceedings were broadcast via the judicial videoconferencing system (SEGBİS) in another room. P24 monitored the hearing.

Göktaş began his defense by stating that he had been brought from the Çorlu Karatepe High-Security Prison, known as a “well-type” facility. Göktaş explained that since 3 July, he had spent his days in a cell with no access to sunlight and without being able to communicate with any other detainees or prisoners; he noted that, due to high-security requirements—unlike in other prisons—he had been allowed to speak to his family on the telephone for just 10 minutes a week.

Pointing out that he had been in custody for 88 days because of four sentences he had uttered as a comedian during a stand-up performance at the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater, Göktaş said he had been held in a high-security cell for 22 days per sentence. Göktaş, who said he was proud to see that, as a comedian, his sentences carried such a powerful impact, added, “But as a citizen, I am saddened by my country’s record on freedom of expression.” Emphasizing that what had happened to him had strengthened his belief in his work, Göktaş said, “Once I regain my freedom, I will carry on with even greater enthusiasm and self-confidence. My only concern is that this case might dampen the courage of those taking to the stage and lead them to practice more self-censorship.”

Göktaş’s lawyer, Sinan Metin Aslan, also pointed out that the elements of the charges against his client were not present and requested an acquittal and release. President Erdoğan’s lawyer, however, stated that his complaints remained and requested to join the case as co-plaintiff, which the court accepted. 

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case, requested that Göktaş be sentenced in accordance with the indictment and released upon sentencing.

The court sentenced Göktaş to 7 months and 15 days in prison for the offense of “publicly denigrating religious values embraced by a section of the public” and to 11 months and 20 days in prison for the offense of “insulting the president.”

The court acquitted Göktaş of the charge of “praising an offense or an offender,” for which he had been re-arrested whilst in prison on the grounds of a joke he made about the Dalton Gang. Taking into account the time Göktaş had spent in prison, the court ordered his release, subject to an international travel ban.

Click here to read the details of the article.

Case filed against Barış Terkoğlu upon a complaint by former minister Soylu begins

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Barış Terkoğlu, who faces charges of “insulting a public official” following a complaint by former Minister of the Interior Süleyman Soylu, was held at the Ankara 38th Criminal Court of First Instance on 28 September 2026.

Terkoğlu and his lawyer did not attend the hearing.

Soylu’s lawyer requested to join the case as co-plaintiff.

The court accepted the request and adjourned the case until 28 December 2026.

At least 23 journalists and media workers in prison

Following the imprisonment of two journalists, as of 2 October 2026, there are at least 23 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either imprisoned pending trial or serving a sentence.

The full list can be accessed here.