Sevda Aydın
A Turkish court has acquitted journalist Semra Turan while postponing the trials of fellow reporters Melike Aydın, Tolga Güney and Delal Akyüz to July 18. All four were detained during coordinated police raids in February 2024 in the western province of İzmir and later placed under house arrest as part of an investigation targeting journalists from JinNews and Mezopotamya Agency (MA).
Turan, a reporter for MA, was acquitted by the İzmir 13th High Criminal Court due to lack of evidence. Prosecutors had accused her based on phone records and news stories she had published, claiming they were linked to a terrorist organization.
The other three journalists, who are facing similar charges in separate but related trials, appeared before the same court for their second hearings.
Single witness testimony targets multiple reporters
In the case against Melike Aydın, a reporter for JinNews, witness Buse Aslan claimed that the outlet was affiliated with a terrorist organization and accused Aydın of membership. Aydın denied the accusations and requested acquittal. The prosecutor, however, asked for her conviction. The court granted additional time for the defense and adjourned the trial to July 18.
The same witness also testified against MA reporter Tolga Güney, alleging that he prepared news stories “on orders from the organization.” Güney rejected the claims, stating in his defense that all of his work was part of his professional journalistic activities. The prosecutor again recommended sentencing, but the court postponed the trial to July 18 following a request from the defense for more time.
Delal Akyüz trial also adjourned to July 18
The second hearing in the case against journalist Delal Akyüz, who is represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), also took place at the same court. Akyüz is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “aiding the organization.”
In his defense statement, Akyüz pointed out that the same witness had testified against him and the two other journalists, casting doubt on the reliability of the testimony. “I do not accept that the news stories I’ve reported are being used as criminal evidence,” he said, firmly denying all charges.
Defense lawyers said parts of the case file were incomplete, particularly concerning message records, and requested that witnesses be re-examined. The prosecutor stood by the witness statements and asked the court to convict Akyüz. The court granted the defense more time and scheduled the next hearing for July 18.
Background: coordinated raids and prolonged house arrest
On Feb. 13, 2024, Delal Akyüz was detained alongside Gazete Duvar reporter Cihan Başakçıoğlu, MA reporters Semra Turan and Tolga Güney, JinNews reporter Melike Aydın, and press worker Fatma Funda Akbulut from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party. Following three days in custody, they were referred to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace on Feb. 16 on allegations of “membership in a terrorist organization.”
Semra Turan and Cihan Başakçıoğlu were released under judicial control measures requiring them to sign in at a police station twice a week. Electronic ankle monitors were imposed on Akyüz, Güney, Aydın and Akbulut, who were placed under house arrest. The restrictions remained in place until February 2025, one year later.
Akyüz’s lawyers filed an individual application with Turkey’s Constitutional Court, arguing that the journalist’s detention and the seizure of his news materials constituted a disproportionate violation of press freedom.
The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office later decided to separate the journalists’ case files. Eight months after the investigation began, a non-prosecution decision was issued for Başakçıoğlu. Indictments alleging “terrorist organization membership” were prepared for the others, with the first hearings held on Feb. 10, 2025, at the İzmir 13th High Criminal Court.
