- Journalist Timur Soykan was acquitted in the case in which he was tried over his social media posts. Journalist Ali Çağatay, meanwhile, was released at the first hearing.
- In indictments prepared against journalists Nadiye Gürbüz and Elif Bayburt, journalistic activities, attending hearings, communicating with news sources and leaving a political party building were cited as evidence for the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.” Both journalists are being tried in pretrial detention.
- Journalist Selahattin Günday was also detained on the orders of the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of an investigation into the death of former National Intelligence Organization (MİT) officer Kaşif Kozinoğlu.
MLSA - Journalist Mehmet Murat Yıldırım was due to appear before a judge for the first time in case No. 2026/235 before the Ankara 24th Criminal Court of First Instance on a charge of “insulting the president,” based on the content of a news report and his social media posts. At the Sept. 8 hearing, Yıldırım was not present in the courtroom, while his lawyer also did not attend after submitting an excuse. As a result, the hearing did not proceed because the parties were absent.
In another development this week, journalist Ali Çağatay was released at the first hearing held after he was jailed over a social media post. Çağatay had been arrested on June 26 on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” and “insulting state institutions and organs” over a post he made about the abduction of Erhan Karaal, deputy general manager of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Culture Inc. Ali Çağatay released.
A verdict was issued Sept. 11 in the case against Timur Soykan before the Istanbul 32nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Soykan, who was detained in 2025 over social media posts about operations targeting municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was being tried on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” and “publicly inciting the commission of a crime.” At the fourth hearing in the case, in which prosecutors had sought a total prison sentence of up to 9 years and 6 months, the court acquitted Soykan. Timur Soykan acquitted in case stemming from his detentionTimur Soykan acquitted in case stemming from his detention.
In the indictment prepared against journalist Nadiye Gürbüz, her journalistic activities at ETHA, an interview she conducted, her attendance at a commemoration event for Suruç and her communication with news sources were cited as evidence for the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.” Gürbüz’s hunger strike while in custody and her exercise of the right to remain silent were also treated in the indictment as part of the accusations against her. Gürbüz, who has been held in pretrial detention for about seven months, is scheduled to appear at her first hearing Sept. 15 before the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court. Read more.
In the indictment prepared against journalist Elif Bayburt, her attendance at a court hearing, taking photographs during a protest she was covering and leaving the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) district office in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district with a group were cited as evidence for the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.” Bayburt, who has been held in pretrial detention for about seven months, is scheduled to appear at her first hearing Sept. 17 before the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court. Read more.
The hearing in the case against journalist Mehmet Şahin on a charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was also adjourned to allow him to prepare his defense statement. The court gave Şahin time to prepare his defense statement in response to the prosecutor’s opinion seeking a conviction and adjourned the case until Nov. 24.
Journalist Selahattin Günday was also detained on the orders of the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of an investigation into the death of former National Intelligence Organization (MİT) officer Kaşif Kozinoğlu. Günday was reported to have published a news report about a conversation he had with Kozinoğlu’s lawyer, Hüseyin Derin Yarsuvat, following Kozinoğlu’s death and to have included Yarsuvat’s views in the report. Günday’s lawyer, Hüseyin Ersöz, said they would appeal the detention order.
It was also reported that academic Güllistan Yarkın had been charged with “insulting Turkishness” under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code over her doctoral dissertation. Yarkın was reportedly referred to prosecutors by the Interuniversity Board after her application for recognition in Turkey of her degree from SUNY University in the United States was rejected.
