During the week of May 20–24, 2025, Turkey will see a series of high-profile trials targeting journalists, human rights defenders, and activists. These include hearings related to the Amasra mine disaster commemoration, journalist Tolga Şardan’s case, and multiple cases linked to the now-shuttered Azadiya Welat newspaper.
May 20, 2025 – Tuesday
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09:00 – The Ankara 65th Criminal Court of First Instance will hold the first hearing in the trial of 26 people charged with violating the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911) for participating in a commemoration event for the victims of the Amasra mining disaster.
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09:25 – Naci Sapan, publishing coordinator and columnist for Tigris Haber, will appear before the Diyarbakır 14th Criminal Court of First Instance for the third hearing in a case where he is accused of insulting public officials through his column titled “Trustees and mini-trustees!”
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09:30 – Journalist Yelda Çiçek, previously sentenced to five months in prison for covering protests against government-appointed trustees in 2019, will be retried at Diyarbakır 4th Criminal Court of First Instance following a Constitutional Court ruling that her rights were violated.
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10:00 – The third hearing in the trial of journalist Mehmet Şah Oruç will be held at the Bitlis 2nd High Criminal Court. He faces charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terror propaganda” based on testimony from secret witnesses, his social media activity, and his journalism.
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11:00 – A hearing will be held in the trial of former ETHA (Etkin News Agency) editor Semiha Şahin, accused of making “terrorist propaganda.”
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11:32 – Journalist Ömer Sönmez will appear before the Istanbul 67th Criminal Court of First Instance for the first hearing in a case where he is accused of “insulting the president” over his social media posts. His defense is being handled by MLSA.
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11:35 – The third hearing in a defamation case filed by Adnan Tanrıverdi, founder of the paramilitary group SADAT, against Evrensel newspaper over alleged violations of personal rights, will be heard at the Bakırköy 4th Civil Court of First Instance.
May 21, 2025 – Wednesday
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09:10 – Four police officers will be tried at the Ankara 16th High Criminal Court for allegedly causing bone fractures during torture in the assault of human rights lawyer Oğuzcan Ozan Kurt.
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10:30 – The Diyarbakır 11th High Criminal Court will continue the trial of Ramazan Ölçen, former publisher of the Kurdish-language daily Azadiya Welat, which was shut down during Turkey’s state of emergency. Ölçen is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization.”
May 22, 2025 – Thursday
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10:00 – The Izmir 2nd High Criminal Court will hold the third hearing in the trial of journalist Lütfiye Burcu Kara, accused of “membership in a terrorist organization.”
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10:00 – The Diyarbakır 2nd High Criminal Court will proceed with the trial of Tayip Temel, former editor-in-chief of Azadiya Welat, who faces charges of “founding and leading a terrorist organization,” “membership in a terrorist organization,” and “making terrorist propaganda.”
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11:00 – The Mardin 2nd High Criminal Court will hold the first hearing in the trial of JINNEWS News Director Öznur Değer, who was arrested on February 7, 2025. She is charged with “repeatedly spreading terrorist propaganda” based on her social media posts.
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14:30 – The second hearing in the retrial of TELE1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ will be held at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. He is being tried over his column titled “The mafia-ization of the regime.”
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14:45 – Journalist Tolga Şardan will attend the third hearing of his trial at the same court. He faces charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” and “openly insulting the judiciary” over an article published on T24.
