This week, freedom of expression and journalistic activities will be at the center of trials taking place in Diyarbakır and Istanbul. In cases filed on the basis of social media posts, publications sold at book fairs, and forms of academic expression, numerous journalists, academics, and publishing house employees will appear before the court.
Monday, January 26, 2026
10:00 – The fourth hearing in the case against writer Azad Zal, who is being tried on the charge of “membership in an organization,” will be held at Diyarbakır 8th High Criminal Court. Zal, a writer and publishing house owner, is being prosecuted within the scope of the DTK investigation. A previous conviction against him was overturned by the appeals court.
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
09:30 – The third hearing in the case against Hakkı Boltan and Delil Zengeralp, who are charged with “making terrorist propaganda” over certain books displayed at the Aram Publishing House stand during the 2024 Diyarbakır Book Fair, will be held at Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court. The defendants are being tried for displaying books by Hatip Dicle and Mahmut Aba.
10:00 – The hearing in the case against journalists Osman Akın and Veysi Sarısözen, who are charged with “continuous terrorist propaganda,” will be held at Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. The defendants are being tried for articles they published as part of their journalistic activities.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
10:00 – The second hearing in the case of 20 individuals, including Fatoş Erdoğan, Emrah Gülsunar, Abdullah Esin, Nur Betül Aras, and Ömer Faruk Mangaltepe, who are being tried for expressing their reactions on social media against the appointment of a trustee to the Istanbul Provincial Presidency of the CHP (Republican People’s Party), will be held at Istanbul 9th Criminal Court of First Instance. The defendants are charged with “publicly inciting to commit a crime.” At the first hearing, the court had decided to write to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office due to contradictions in the indictment.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
09:20 – The hearing in the criminal case against journalist Berzan Güneş, who is represented by MLSA and is being tried for “making terrorist propaganda” over his social media posts, will be held at Iğdır 2nd High Criminal Court.
10:00 – The second hearing in the case against journalist Berivan Kutlu, who is charged with “making terrorist propaganda” due to her social media posts following the earthquakes in Maraş, will be held at Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court. In the previous session, the court had decided to have the video allegedly shared by Kutlu transcribed and to send the file to the prosecutor’s office for the preparation of the opinion as to the merits.
14:00 - The fourth hearing of the trial of lawyer Fırat Epözdemir, a member of the Istanbul Bar Association's Executive Board, who is charged with "membership of an organization" and "making organization propaganda," will be held at the Istanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court. Epözdemir was arrested on these charges but was released at the first hearing.
Friday, January 30, 2026
10:00 – The second hearing in the case against Emrah Gülsunar, who is charged with “publicly inciting to commit a crime through the press” over a poll he posted on his social media account, will be held at Istanbul 51st Criminal Court of First Instance. Gülsunar had attended the previous hearing via SEGBİS (judicial video-conferencing system) from prison. The court had sent the file to the prosecutor’s office for the preparation of the opinion as to the merits.
