- An indictment has been filed against journalist Pınar Gayıp, who was arrested in February this year.
- The prosecution accuses Gayıp of membership in a terrorist organization, with much of the evidence consisting of her journalistic activities, including her press card, her work for the ETHA news agency, her coverage of a Saturday Mothers protest, and her attendance at the funeral of Emine Ocak, one of the movement's most prominent figures.
- Her first hearing will be held on Sept. 14, after Turkey's judicial recess.
MLSA — Journalist Pınar Gayıp, who was detained during operations carried out in 22 cities on Feb. 3 targeting the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and affiliated organizations, has been held at Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison in Istanbul since that day. On June 3, 2026, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Gayıp, accusing her of membership in the Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP), which Turkey designates as a terrorist organization.
The case has been merged with another trial already pending before the same court. As a result, the proceedings will be conducted by the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court. Gayıp is represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
Press card, agency work and funeral coverage cited as evidence
The prosecution's indictment lists several aspects of Gayıp's journalistic work as evidence. It cites her press card issued on behalf of the ETHA news agency, a photograph of her wearing a vest bearing the logo of Atılım newspaper, and a message she sent to a news group on Telegram.
The indictment also cites Gayıp's coverage of a Saturday Mothers protest in Istanbul's Galatasaray Square on July 24, 2025, and her attendance at the funeral of Emine Ocak, one of the movement's most prominent figures. Prosecutors also examined her social media accounts, while describing the hunger strike she carried out during her detention as "organizational conduct."
"Who gave you the instructions?"
The allegations against Gayıp were also raised during her police questioning before her arrest. During questioning by the Istanbul Police Department's Counterterrorism Branch, she was asked about covering a Saturday Mothers protest, attending Emine Ocak's funeral, and sending small sums of money, such as 100 lira and 65 lira, to fellow journalists. One of the questions was: "Why did you attend Emine Ocak's funeral? Who gave you the instructions?"
In the indictment, prosecutors describe ETHA as one of the MLKP's overt structures. In her statement before the Criminal Judgeship of Peace, however, Gayıp said the agency is a legally operating organization that pays taxes.
Appearing before the Istanbul 9th Criminal Judgeship of Peace after prosecutors requested her arrest, Gayıp said: "The documents show that I was covering news events with a camera around my neck. They have portrayed the Etkin News Agency (ETHA) as an illegal organization, but we completed all the legal procedures, and we pay taxes for ETHA every year. This case file was prepared at the instruction of the police. They themselves acknowledged that I am a journalist. I reject the accusations. I have been a journalist for 10 years, and I hold a press card that is valid in 84 countries."
Most of the allegations are based on secret witness statements
A significant portion of the allegations against Gayıp is based on statements from secret witnesses who benefited from Turkey's "effective remorse" provisions, which allow suspects to receive reduced sentences in exchange for providing information about others. The indictment says it includes 10 such witness statements concerning Gayıp. One of the statements consists solely of the claim: "I know she was a reporter at ETHA."
In its preliminary ruling, the court also found that three of the four witnesses scheduled to testify in the case — Berfin Ayırkan, Nehir Gevenci and Arda Ata Özdoğan — are currently in pretrial detention and issued orders for them to be brought to court. In other words, some of the prosecution's key witnesses are themselves being held in prison in connection with other cases.
Pretrial detention continues
The court has repeatedly rejected Gayıp's requests for release, citing the nature of the offense as one of Turkey's designated "catalog crimes" and the risk that she could flee.
Gayıp has now spent five months in prison without a single court hearing. A panel of judges is scheduled to review her pretrial detention without holding a hearing on July 22 and again on Aug. 20, 2026.
First hearing set for Sept. 14
The first hearing in Gayıp's case is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, before the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) said it will continue to monitor the proceedings.
Background
In early February this year, Turkish authorities carried out simultaneous operations in 22 provinces, including Istanbul, targeting the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and affiliated organizations. The operation also targeted the Socialist Women's Assembly (SKM), the Socialist Youth Associations Federation (SGDF), the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), the DİSK/Limter-İş trade union, Polen Ecology and the BEKSAV arts and culture foundation. Of the 96 people detained, 47 were arrested pending trial.
ETHA employees Pınar Gayıp, Nadiye Gürbüz and Elif Bayburt were sent to Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison, while journalist Müslüm Koyun was sent to Metris Prison. Gayıp has remained in pretrial detention since her arrest.
