June 2026 Highlights
June was marked by major strategic litigation initiatives, significant acquittals and appeals in journalists' cases, continued concerns over fair trial guarantees, and restrictions affecting media freedom ahead of the NATO Summit.
Appeals, acquittals, and legal support in high-profile cases
MLSA's Legal Unit continued to defend journalists and human rights defenders before domestic and international courts throughout June. The team appealed the sentences imposed on Erdoğan Alayumat and Nurcan Kaya, while also challenging restrictions affecting journalists and online broadcasters.
Several journalists, including Esra Solin Dal, Mehmet Aslan, Nisanur Yıldırım, Furkan Karabay and Faruk Eren, saw acquittals or dismissals in cases followed by MLSA. Read more →
17 hearings monitored in 14 cases involving 108 defendants
Hearings started late, courtrooms were inadequate, and police remained inside some courtrooms despite lawyers' objections.
— MLSA Fair Trial Monitoring findings, June 2026
MLSA monitored 17 hearings in 14 separate cases involving 108 defendants during June. Journalists, activists and politicians continued to face charges including terrorist organization membership, spreading misleading information, insult offences and violations of the law on public demonstrations.
Observers documented recurring fair trial concerns, including SEGBİS failures, late starts, inadequate courtroom conditions, police presence inside courtrooms and judicial interference with defendants' statements. Five monitored cases resulted in acquittals.
Constitutional Court and Council of Europe developments
MLSA challenged RTÜK's online broadcasting licensing regime before the Constitutional Court, arguing that the regulation grants broad discretionary powers and threatens freedom of expression. Read more →
Following MLSA's Rule 9.2 submission, the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers asked Turkey to provide information on safeguards against arbitrary detention. Read more →
MLSA appealed the sentence imposed on journalist Erdoğan Alayumat and the ruling against human rights defender Nurcan Kaya, citing concerns over the evidence used in both cases. Read more →
Joint statements, NATO accreditation concerns, and legal exchange
MLSA joined ten press freedom organizations in condemning unfounded accusations targeting journalists after political developments within Turkey's main opposition party. Later in the month, MLSA and fourteen media and professional organizations issued an urgent appeal to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte after independent media outlets were denied accreditation for the NATO Summit.
MLSA Legal Unit Coordinator Emine Özhasar also attended the Europe Litigation Surgery programme in Budapest, where lawyers from across Europe discussed SLAPP cases, data protection law and strategic litigation in freedom of expression cases. Read more →
Weekly trial updates and fair trial monitoring
MLSA continued publishing weekly Freedom of Expression Trial updates throughout June. The updates documented acquittals, convictions, delays, fair trial concerns and restrictions affecting journalists, lawyers, activists and human rights defenders across Turkey. Read more →
MLSA's monitoring and legal work cited in public debate
MLSA's legal work and monitoring continued to receive national and international attention throughout June. Developments concerning Yıldız Tar, NATO accreditation restrictions, RTÜK's online licensing regime and the detention of journalists were widely discussed in media and press freedom circles.
MLSA Co-Director Veysel Ok also commented to AFP on the denial of accreditation to independent media outlets during the NATO Summit, noting that independent media in Turkey have long faced detentions, trials and accreditation restrictions.
