In November, a total of 47 hearings were monitored across Turkey. These trials involved 82 individuals: 41 were journalists, eight lawyers, seven activists, four students, three writers, two academics, one artist, and the remaining defendants were from various segments of society. A large number of the trials stemmed from social media posts, news content, testimony from secret witnesses, and alleged violations of bans on protests and public gatherings.
Outcomes for the month included convictions in three cases, one acquittal, and two dismissals. Most other hearings were postponed due to requests for more time to prepare opinions, case consolidation motions, enforcement of arrest warrants, retrials after appeal, or address verification for defendants.
Journalists Rahime Karvar and Fatih Altaylı were convicted in their respective trials. Karvar received a sentence of 1 year and 13 months, with a continuing international travel ban. Altaylı was sentenced to four years and two months for allegedly threatening the president.
In a rare acquittal, journalists Hayri Tunç, Gülistan Dursun, Pınar Gayıp, and others were found not guilty in a case stemming from a Şişhane press statement made in memory of colleagues killed in Syria. The court ruled the charges were groundless.
A range of other cases were adjourned or delayed:
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In the Ahmet Kanbal case on Nov. 3 in Mardin, the trial was postponed to Jan. 16, 2026, to await a statement from the journalist, who is charged with "publicly disseminating misleading information" over a live broadcast from an earthquake zone.
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The Azad Zal case, heard on Nov. 5 in Diyarbakır, was also postponed. Zal faces retrial due to alleged ties with the Democratic Society Congress (DTK).
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In the “Yenidoğan Gang” prosecutor coverage case, journalists Nilay Can, Dinçer Gökçe, Veysi Dündar and lawyer İrem Çiçek face charges under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code. Their next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026.
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The CHP Istanbul provincial trustee case, targeting 20 people including journalist Fatoş Erdoğan and academic Emrah Gülsunar, was postponed after inconsistencies in the indictment were sent back to the prosecutor’s office.
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In the Hakkı Boltan case, the court granted the prosecutor more time to prepare the final opinion in a case where the journalist is accused of insulting the president and a public official.
Cases involving journalists Perihan Kaya, Ferhat Tunç, Mehmet Oflaz, Ruhi Karaman, and others were similarly delayed.
Writer Yavuz Ekinci was acquitted on Nov. 10 by the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court, which ruled that his novel Rüyası Bölünenler did not constitute "terrorist propaganda."
A large number of defendants from 1 Mayıs demonstrations and Boğaziçi protests also appeared in court, with hearings adjourned.
Other significant developments during the month included:
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The Ankara Regional Court upheld 6-year, 3-month sentences for seven journalists, citing digital materials as evidence of organizational ties.
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A criminal investigation was launched into journalist Aslı Gençay and lawyer Tugay Bek over a news report related to a drug probe involving an AKP official.
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The Constitutional Court ruled that journalist Merdan Yanardağ’s pre-trial detention violated his rights.
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In the first hearing of the armed attack on Evrensel’s İzmir office, the court ordered the continued detention of the gunman and further investigation into instigators.
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İsmail Arı, a reporter for BirGün, was acquitted after being prosecuted for reporting on police violence.
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Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç stated that the ECtHR ruling in the Selahattin Demirtaş case had become final and would be reviewed by a local court.
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Journalists Şaban Sevinç, Yavuz Oğhan and Batuhan Çolak were detained early in the morning; the same investigation also included a detention order for Soner Yalçın.
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Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court refused to implement a Constitutional Court ruling on urban planner Tayfun Kahraman, citing its own jurisdiction.
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Journalist Mehmet Oflaz, charged with breaching the confidentiality of an investigation, defended his report as “documented journalism.”
Additional updates:
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Two separate investigations were launched in one month against BirGün editor Kayhan Ayhan.
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Prosecutors demanded sentences for 26 individuals who participated in a memorial for the Amasra mine disaster.
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An indictment targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality officials also included journalists Ruşen Çakır, Yavuz Oğhan, Şaban Sevinç and Soner Yalçın.
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Detained journalist Perihan Erkılınç Okay was released after 194 days in pretrial detention.
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Zafer Party executive Mehmet Ali Şehirlioğlu drew criticism after forcibly removing T24 reporter Can Öztürk from a courtroom.
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A criminal complaint was filed against BirGün managers upon a request from KRT TV owner Fırat Bozfırat.
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The eighth hearing in journalist Sedef Kabaş’s trial for allegedly insulting the president was postponed.
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A Kurdish-language public service announcement by Ramazan Şimşek led to a trial in which the prosecution requested more time to prepare its opinion.
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Cartoonist Doğan Pehlevan was released in one case, although he remains in custody in another.
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The family of Hakan Tosun, who was murdered, criticized the missing footage and incomplete evidence review in the case.
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Mehmet Aslan was indicted based on testimony from a secret witness.
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As noted above, eight journalists acquitted for covering the Saraçhane protests.
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On the anniversary of the killing of Tahir Elçi, Turkey once again faced criticism over impunity.
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MLSA released its 2024–2025 court monitoring report, documenting widespread freedom of expression violations.
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A case was opened against Bianet editor Tuğçe Yılmaz under Article 301 of the penal code, which criminalizes "insulting the Turkish nation."
