Bakır, who stood trial for sharing a post related to Özgür Özel's statement about one of the prosecutors conducting the investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), had been under house arrest for approximately three months

EYLEM SONBAHAR, ISTANBUL

The second hearing in the trial of journalist Oğuz Bakır on charges of “insulting a public official” was held at the Istanbul 34th Criminal Court of First Instance on 3 March 2026.

Bakır's lawyer, Hasan Basri Şen, was present at the hearing, which Bakır did not attend. P24 monitored the hearing.

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case, requested punishment for the impugned crime.

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case, argued that the post in question "was made with the intent to disparage the victim, Cahit Cihad Sarı, who was performing his public duties as the Chief Public Prosecutor of Istanbul, that it was derogatory in nature and exceeded the limits of freedom of expression, and that the statements in question, taken as a whole, aimed to damage the person's reputation and were not an expression of opinion," and requested that Bakır be punished for the crime he was charged with.

The plaintiff prosecutor's lawyer, Muhammed Ali Öztürk, stated that their complaints were continuing and requested that the defendant be punished.

Bakır's lawyer, Hasan Basri Şen, stated in his statement against prosecutor’s opinion that they did not agree with the opinion. Lawyer Şen said, “It is certain that my client did not commit the impugned crime. Therefore, we request my client's acquittal and the return of the confiscated digital materials.”

The court ruled for Bakır’s acquittal on the grounds that the elements of the alleged crime were not present, and also ordered that the digital materials be returned.

Background of the case

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made a statement in Silivri, criticizing one of the prosecutors conducting the investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB). Journalist Oğuz Bakır announced the name of that prosecutor on his X account on 17 July 2025.

As part of the investigation launched against those who shared posts on the subject, four people, including journalist Bakır, were detained on 18 July 2025. Following police and then prosecutor's office proceedings, they were released on 19 July under judicial control measure in the form of not leaving their residences after questioning at the Istanbul 7th Criminal Court of Peace.

The indictment against Bakır and three others was filed on 20 August 2025. In the indictment, which included the posts, Bakır and two others were charged with “publicly insulting a public official,” while another person was additionally charged with “threats.”

The Istanbul 34th Criminal Court of First Instance, which accepted the indictment, decided that the first hearing would be held on 23 October. At the first hearing, the court lifted the judicial control measures and decided to continue the case on the same basis for one defendant, and to separate the case files of Bakır and two other defendants and register them under separate cases.

Following the separation decision, the first hearing against Bakır was held on 16 December 2025. The court decided to postpone the hearing, ordering that the outcome of the letter written to the Security Branch Directorate of the Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate be inquired about.