In their final opinion on the case, the prosecutor requested that journalists Dinçer Gökçe, Nilay Can, Veysi Dündar, and lawyer İrem Çiçek be punished for “spreading false information”

EYLEM SONBAHAR, ISTANBUL

The fourth hearing in the trial of halktv.com.tr Editor-in-Chief Dinçer Gökçe, Nilay Can, Editor-in-Chief of gazetepencere.com, journalist Veysi Dündar, and lawyer İrem Çiçek was held at the Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 5 November 2025. The defendants are on trial for “spreading false information” over news reports and social media posts alleging that the prosecutor leading the investigation into the Yenidoğan Gang had been removed from their post. 

Dinçer Gökçe and lawyer Ali Deniz Ceylan were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

The prosecutor, presenting their final opinion on the case, requested that all defendants be punished for “spreading false information,” saying that “despite the statements, the defendants distorted the truth by spreading disinformation.” The prosecutor also requested that lawyer Çiçek be punished for the crime of “insulting a public official.”

Journalist Gökçe and lawyer Ceylan requested time to prepare their defense against the opinion. The court accepted the request for time and adjourned the case until 8 January 2026.

Background of the case

Journalists detained on 3 November 2024 as part of an investigation launched into news story titled "Yenidoğan çetesini çökerten savcı görevden el çektirildi" (Prosecutor who brought down the Yenidoğan gang removed from office) and related posts were released under judicial control, while lawyer İrem Çiçek was placed under house arrest.

The indictment dated 12 November 2024, sought punishment for Dinçer Gökçe, Nilay Can, Veysi Dündar, İrem Çiçek, and one other person for the crime of “spreading false information.” Lawyer Çiçek was also sought to be punished for the crime of “insult.”

With the indictment accepted by the Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, the first hearing was held on 22 January 2025. At the end of the hearing, following the defense statements, the court lifted the judicial control measures against the defendants and decided to separate the case file for one defendant