This week, several journalists and academics will appear before judges. Here is a list of this week’s journalism and free speech trials:
Tuesday, Sep 4
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Case hearing of former Cumhuriyet editor-in-chief Can Dündar will be held at İstanbul 22. High Criminal Court. Dündar, who had participated in the Editor-in-Chief-on-Watch solidarity campaign launched by Özgür Gündem newspaper, is facing "terrorist propaganda" charges. He is also charged with "aiding a terrorist organization" and espionage in separate cases after Cumhuriyet published a news story about trucks belonging to Turkey's National Intelligence Service (MİT) allegedly carried weaponry to Syria.
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Second hearing of Berzan Güneş, represented by MLSA Coordinator Veysel Ok, will be held at Iğdır 2. High Criminal Court. Güneş who was detained for over 2 months due to his social media posts, was released after his first hearing, on Aug 7.
Wednesday, Sep 5
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Former Zaman newspaper editorial writer Ali Ünal's case hearing will be held at Uşak 2. High Criminal Court at 10:00 am. Ünal who is facing "leading and membership of an armed terrorist organisation" and "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order" charges, can be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. He has been imprisoned since Aug 2016.
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Boğaziçi University academics Şenay Çınar and Zeynep Arıkan will be on trial at İstanbul 37. High Criminal Court at 09:30 and 09:45. Academics are facing "terrorist propaganda" charges based on their participation in the campaign called “We will not be a party to this crime”, also known as the peace petition, criticising the state's military action in the Southeast region.
Thursday, Sep 6
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Journalists Hayri Demir and Sibel Hürtaş will be on trial at Ankara 15. High Criminal Court. They are facing "terrorist propaganda" and "inciting the public towards hatred" charges based on their critical social media posts regarding the government's military action in Afrin, North Syria.
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Case hearing of another 'academic for peace', Meltem Gürle from Boğaziçi University, will be held at İstanbul 37. High Criminal Court at 10:40 am, in which Gürle is facing same charges as her colleagues.
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Cumhuriyet reporters Orhan Erinç and Pelin Ünker are facing "attack on personal rights" charges based on their reporting regarding the leak of Paradise Papers. They will be on trial at the Anadolu 24. Court of First Instance at 10:30 am. Ünker's tweets and news stories about Erdogan's son in law Berat Albayrak, his brother Serhat Albayrak and Ahmet Çalık were blocked.
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Case hearing of Nazlı Ilıcak, who is charged with "espionage through revealing secret documents regarding state security" will be held at İstanbul 26. High Criminal Court at 11:30 AM. Ilıcak was sentenced to life in prison in a separate case in which she was found guilty of "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order".
Friday, Sep 7
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Case hearing of 46 media workers employed in pro Kurdish media outlets, also known as KCK Press Trial, will be held at İstanbul 3. High Criminal Court at 10:00 am. The trial has been going on for 7 years in which the defendants are facing "membership of a terrorist organization" charges.
