MLSA-represented journalist Pınar Gayıp released after more than seven months in pretrial detention
September brought significant developments in MLSA’s legal defense, strategic litigation and trial-monitoring work. Pınar Gayıp was released after more than seven months in pretrial detention, several other monitored hearings ended with releases, and MLSA continued to document court delays, restrictions on access to proceedings and online censorship. The month also saw new access restrictions following the “Ailem Güvende” operation and collective responses from press-freedom organizations.
ECtHR follow-up and higher-court rulings shape September
The Hatay 2nd High Criminal Court dismissed the case against journalist Burcu Özkaya Günaydın without acquitting her, despite a European Court of Human Rights ruling that found a violation. The court said the five-year supervision period had expired. Read more →
Turkey’s Court of Cassation upheld the dismissal of a damages claim against journalist Canan Kaya, who was represented by MLSA. The court said her reporting concerned a matter of public interest and that the statements were protected by freedom of the press and freedom of expression. Read more →
MLSA’s challenge to restrictions on the Kurdish-language film Rojbash moved to the Council of State after an appellate court overturned a lower court ruling that had annulled the restriction.
A free screening planned by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality was later canceled after police cited the ministry’s 2024 decision.
September at a Glance: 21 hearings involving 67 defendants
MLSA monitored 21 hearings involving 67 defendants in Istanbul, Ankara and Diyarbakır in September. The defendants included about 20 journalists, two lawyers and 37 students.
Several hearings ended with releases. Journalist Elif Bayburt was released at her first hearing after seven months in pretrial detention. Lawyer Sezin Uçar was released at her first hearing after five months. Journalist Ali Çağatay was also released at his first hearing, while journalist Nadiye Gürbüz remained in detention after her first hearing.
Comedian Deniz Göktaş, who had spent 88 days in pretrial detention over jokes in his stand-up show, was also ordered released following his Sept. 28 hearing. See MLSA’s update →
At least 10 hearings began late. MLSA also recorded lengthy adjournments, inadequate courtrooms and restrictions on access for journalists and observers, including police intervention at the Hakan Tosun hearing. Read the monitoring report →
Releases in monitored freedom-of-expression cases
ETHA reporter Elif Bayburt was released at her first hearing before the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court after seven months in pretrial detention. Her next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10. Read more →
Lawyer Sezin Uçar was released after five months in pretrial detention at the first hearing of her case. During the hearing, a cooperating witness said his earlier statement had been taken under pressure. Read more →
Journalist Ali Çağatay was released at the first hearing of his case after being held in pretrial detention over a social media post. Read more →
Comedian Deniz Göktaş, held in pretrial detention for 88 days over jokes in his stand-up show, was sentenced on two charges and acquitted on another charge. The court ordered his release. See MLSA’s update →
MLSA continues legal defense in press-freedom cases
MLSA-represented journalist Pınar Gayıp was released Sept. 14 at the first hearing of her trial after more than seven months in pretrial detention. A witness whose statement was cited as evidence against Gayıp told the court that he had not made the statement and did not know her. Two other witnesses said they had seen Gayıp taking photographs but knew nothing else about her. The court kept a travel ban in place and scheduled the next hearing for Dec. 7. Read more →
MLSA also represented journalist Tuğba Tekerek following her Sept. 15 arrest in connection with a commissioned journalistic report on developments in Georgia. The Legal Unit appealed her detention, arguing that the accusations were based on assumptions and were not supported by technical surveillance data or other concrete evidence. The appeal was later rejected. Read more →
Prosecutors declined to pursue a criminal complaint against journalist Ceren Bala Teke, represented by MLSA, and T24 Editor-in-Chief Doğan Akın over a T24 report. Prosecutors said the report fell within the scope of press freedom and that the legal elements of the alleged offenses had not been established. Read more →
MLSA also continued its legal representation of journalist Erdoğan Alayumat at his September hearing.
Access restrictions, joint advocacy and a meeting with journalists in Van
Following the “Ailem Güvende” operation, a wave of access restrictions affected media outlets, rights groups, journalists and civil-society accounts in September. MLSA challenged the blocking of its X account, while fourteen bar associations issued a joint statement expressing concern over the restrictions.
Online restrictions remained a recurring issue throughout the month, with FreeWeb monitoring documenting access blocks affecting journalists, media outlets, social-media accounts and news content.
MLSA also joined press and freedom-of-expression organizations in calling for journalist Tuğba Tekerek’s release following her detention during the same period. Read MLSA’s legal update →
MLSA took part in an İHAMED meeting on journalists working under pressure in Van on Sept. 26-27. Journalists and civil-society representatives discussed legal pressures, working conditions and risks affecting reporting in Turkey.
FreeWeb tracks September censorship and fair-trial concerns
MLSA’s September publications included two FreeWeb censorship bulletins covering developments from Sept. 12-20 and Sept. 21-27. The bulletins tracked access restrictions, blocked social-media accounts and news content, as well as legal action involving journalists and online expression.
During the Sept. 21-27 period, FreeWeb monitoring recorded access blocks affecting at least eight journalists’ X accounts and at least nine news items. Sept. 12-20 bulletin → Sept. 21-27 bulletin →
September’s fair-trial monitoring findings documented delays, lengthy adjournments and restrictions on access to hearings. Read the September monitoring report →
Press-freedom groups respond to Tuğba Tekerek’s detention and access restrictions targeting T24
Press professional organizations and freedom-of-expression institutions, including MLSA, issued a joint statement on Sept. 18 calling for an end to the targeting of journalism and for journalist Tuğba Tekerek’s release. The joint statement called for an end to the targeting of journalism and for Tekerek to be released.
In a separate joint statement issued amid the wave of access restrictions that followed the “Ailem Güvende” operation, 13 journalism organizations, including MLSA, reacted to an access-block order targeting T24. The journalism organizations raised concerns over the restriction and its implications for press freedom and the public’s right to information.
