March 2026 Highlights
This month, MLSA pursued constitutional litigation, reinforced advocacy on behalf of journalists, monitored serious fair trial concerns, expanded rights-focused programming on MLSA TV, published new findings on censorship law prosecutions, and continued to receive broad press coverage.
Constitutional litigation, prison visits, and defense of cultural rights
Press freedom solidarity, international advocacy, and institutional monitoring
Journalists are not enemies
A joint statement in Ankara called for an end to the criminalization of journalism. Read more →
In March, at least 130 people were tried in 19 cases; 42% targeted journalists. Key charges included ‘insulting the President’, ‘insulting a public official’, ‘inciting hatred’, and ‘disseminating misleading information’.
26% of hearings started late and 37% had poor conditions; defence interventions and technical issues affected proceedings. Law enforcement was present in over 40% of hearings, and 47% were adjourned, raising fair trial concerns.
Mass trials were prominent: 21% of cases had 30+ defendants, notably the Saraçhane protests and Trans Pride March cases, indicating a focus on collective rather than individual acts.
March episodes & commentary
All Çetele episodes on MLSATV YouTube with auto-translation.
New findings on censorship law prosecutions
A new MLSA report finds journalists are defendants in 72% of censorship law cases.
Published by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), the report examines the implementation of Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, known as the ‘censorship law’, and its impact on freedom of expression. Based on cases monitored between 2024 and 2026, MLSA followed 39 hearings and more than 21 cases, offering a comprehensive overview of how the provision is applied in practice.
Wide national and international visibility
MLSA’s work received wide national and international coverage in March 2026, with outlets including Bianet, Medyascope, DW Türkçe, and others highlighting press freedom concerns, the impact of the ‘censorship law’ (TCK 217/A), and coverage of cases such as the Trans Pride March trials.
"Journalism is not a crime, and Ismail Ari and other journalists must be released immediately,” says MLSA co-director Barış Altıntaş speaking to Balkan Insight on the recent onslaught on independent journalists in Turkey.
