MLSA to Release Its 2025 Trial Monitoring Report on November 28

• The report, to be presented at an event on November 28, is titled “Justice, Censorship, and Resistance: The Anatomy of 2025 Freedom of Expression Trials.”
• Following the launch at the Marmara Pera Hotel, a panel discussion featuring journalists Ercüment Akdeniz, Joakim Medin, Diren Yurtsever, and documentary filmmaker Koray Kesik will explore the report’s findings.

Prepared within the scope of the Journalism and Freedom of Expression Trials Monitoring Program, which has been carried out by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) since 2018, the 2024–2025 Judicial Year Trial Monitoring Report will be released under the title “Justice, Censorship, and Resistance: The Anatomy of 2025 Freedom of Expression Trials.”

Compiled from data collected through the monitoring of over 250 cases and more than 700 hearings during the judicial year, the report is considered one of the most significant indicators of the state of the rule of law and freedom of the press and expression in Turkey.
Last year, it was cited as a source in reports published by numerous international organizations, including the United Nations and the Council of Europe.

The report will be publicly announced on November 28, 2025, at 17:30, during an event to be held at the Marmara Pera Hotel. Following the presentation of the report’s findings by Semra Pelek, Coordinator of MLSA’s Trial Monitoring Program, the findings will be discussed in a panel titled “Journalism in the Triangle of Justice, News, and Censorship.”

The panel, moderated by Barış Altıntaş, Co-Director of MLSA, will feature: Ercüment Akdeniz, journalist and columnist at İlke TV, who was released last month after eight months in detention;
Joakim Medin, Swedish correspondent for Dagens ETC, who was detained at Istanbul Airport and held for fifty days before being released upon MLSA’s appeal; Diren Yurtsever, managing editor of Mezopotamya Agency; and Koray Kesik, director of the documentary Bakur, who is currently on trial ten years after the documentary’s release for his role as cinematographer.

The speakers will discuss judicial harassment targeting freedom of expression in light of the report’s findings.

Justice, Censorship, and Resistance

Among the prominent findings of the report titled “Justice, Censorship, and Resistance: The Anatomy of 2025 Freedom of Expression Trials” are the cases filed against activists and journalists under the March 19 process, trials brought on charges of membership of a terrorist organization based on journalistic activities, and prosecutions of LGBTI+ activists within the framework of the “Family Year.”

Highlighting the increasing use of detention, the normalization of judicial control measures, and the impact of legislative changes and Constitutional Court rulings felt throughout the year, the report provides an overview of the state of the rule of law and the right to a fair trial in Turkey. It will be introduced to participants and speakers during the event on November 28.

Those wishing to attend the event, which will take place on Friday, November 28, 2025, at The Marmara Pera Hotel starting at 17:30, are required to fill out the participation form.