August 2026 Highlights

August brought new developments in MLSA’s legal support and strategic litigation work, including prison visits, objections to detention and judicial-control measures, proceedings before the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights, and a new publication for civil society organizations.

Legal support continued through prison visits, objections and new applications

MLSA’s Legal Unit continued direct legal support throughout August. On 6 August, MLSA lawyers visited journalists Pınar Gayıp, Nadiye Gürbüz and Elif Bayburt, as well as lawyer Sezin Uçar, at Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison. Later in the month, the Legal Unit objected to the continuation of judicial-control measures imposed on journalists Yavuz Akengin and Semra Pelek and challenged a decision continuing Pınar Gayıp’s detention.

On 19 August, MLSA took journalist İdris Yılmaz’s case to the Constitutional Court after he received a judicial fine in an insult case. The application argues that his right to a fair trial and his freedoms of expression and the press were violated. MLSA also filed an annulment action against a TL 400,000 administrative fine imposed on the association by the Personal Data Protection Authority. Read more →

ECtHR Grand Chamber says Osman Kavala must be released immediately

The European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber ruled in August that Osman Kavala must be released immediately. The decision marked a major development in the long-running proceedings concerning Kavala’s detention and again placed the implementation of the Court’s judgments at the centre of the case.

MLSA’s higher-court work also continued in other freedom of expression and detention cases. On 28 August, the Legal Unit submitted its response to the Ministry of Justice’s observations in journalist Deniz Tekin’s Constitutional Court application concerning the blocking of her X account. The same day, MLSA provided information requested by the ECtHR in the application concerning journalist Vedat Örüç’s detention. Read more →

MLSA publishes guide to establishing and running an association

MLSA published a new guide for civil society organizations on establishing and running an association. The publication brings together information on the legal and practical framework involved in setting up and operating an association and is intended as a reference for organizations navigating these processes.

The guide forms part of MLSA’s work to make legal information more accessible to civil society organizations and to provide practical resources alongside its press freedom and media law activities. Read more →